Battling Demons
by musicaldoctor1819
Summary: *PREVIOUSLY TITLED HEALING THE DARK PART TWO*. Sequel to Healing the Dark. A Solangelo Story. Takes place four months after Healing the Dark. It is time for the Winter Solstice. The gods want to reward the demigods for their heroism. Nico and Will are finally together, but that doesn't stop problems or heartache.
1. Chapter 1: Many Happenings

_AN: Hey everyone, welcome to Battling Demons! This is the sequel to my first Solangelo story, Healing the Dark. This story was previously entitled Healing the Dark part two, but I have since changed the name as I have begun editing this story yet again. Enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed within this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

It had been four months since Leo had returned to Camp Half-Blood. Four months since Will and Nico had had their first kiss; since Nico and Will made their relationship official. In September, he had stayed longer than usual at Camp Half-Blood to make sure Nico was healthy enough. He eventually had to go back to Florida to reunite with his mother and continue hgh school. He was in his sophomore year.

It was December now, and Will would be returning to Camp Half-Blood, to Nico. He had seen Nico at least once every two weeks, traveling from Florida to New York as often as possible. Connor Stoll and Lou Ellen had hooked Will and Nico up with cell-phones that wouldn't alert monsters of their locations, so once Nico had gotten accustom to the technology of the 21st century, he and Will texted constantly. Because of exams and how busy school got as well as volunteering at the hospital, Will hadn't seen Nico in a month. And he was unbelievably excited to see his boyfriend.

It was nearing midnight, but Will had never felt more awake. He had gotten off his shift at the hospital at 6 and packed like crazy to get here tonight. He wanted to see Nico and the rest of his siblings. He had ridden a pegasus to camp. He started grinning as he walked up the hill, seeing the Big House. He walked through the barrier, leading the pegasus back into camp and suddenly the ground wasn't covered with snow anymore. He thought about letting Chiron know he was back, but he was too excited to see Nico. His face flashed in Will's vision and suddenly, he couldn't wait any longer.

He began sprinting down the hill to Cabin 13. Heart beating fast, he knocked on the door. He meant to surprise Nico, who didn't think he was coming until tomorrow and he hoped Nico was still awake. When he got no response, he quietly turned the door knob. He pushed the door open, saying "Nico?"

Moonlight spilled into the cabin, revealing the recently redecorated cabin. Nico had spent weeks meticulously drawing up plans for a new cabin and finally discovered one he liked. With Annabeth's architectural skills, he managed to draw up some blueprints. He then summoned some skeletons to help build the new cabin. Even though Will had told him to be careful with using his powers, Nico had completely ignored him, resulting in him being admitted to the infirmary.

Needless to say, Nico was no longer allowed to use skeletons to build his cabin and relied on the kindness of other campers. The new look was much nicer than the previous one. The coffin beds had been replaced by actual beds, but there were only two, one on each side of the room for Hazel and Nico. Will's gaze swiveled to the left side of the room where Nico's bed lay. All he could see was a lump under the giant comforter. Grinning, he dropped his bag by the front door as he closed it, the cabin in near darkness. He slipped off his shoes and padded over to Nico's bed. He knelt down and started to pull back the covers. He revealed his boyfriend. Who was shaking. Panic overtook Will. He was having a nightmare. Will lightly touched Nico, trying to wake him, but Nico threw his hands.

"No! Si prega di non fare! Non farmi del male!" Nico screamed.

 _No!_ Will thought. Although Nico could control his dreams, the past couple times he had done it, he had drained his powers that he had almost faded. Will forbade him to control his dreams and started giving him sleeping draughts, which promised dreamless sleep. They had always worked and the fact that Nico was having nightmares proved that they either stopped working, or Nico had stopped taking them. He thought of all this in an instant, and snapped back into action. He grabbed for Nico's hand to try to calm him down, and also to take his pulse. His heart was racing.

"Nico! It's okay! It's me! It's Will!" Will pushed the hair out of Nico's eyes. Nico flinched back, covering his face with his arms.

"No! Puoi farmi male! Basta non far loro del male!" Tears were running down Nico's face, and sobs were penetrating his pleas.

Will felt helpless. He wished he knew what Nico was saying. He started shaking Nico's shoulder, trying to wake him up, but he couldn't do it.

"Please wake up Nico, please! It's Will, it's Will! I'm home." Nico let out a scream that broke Will's heart.

"No! Bianca! Mi dispiace! Ho cercato di portare indietro! Mi dispiace!" He was dreaming about Bianca. That really wasn't good. Although he didn't talk about it, Will knew that Nico had, in some way, encountered Bianca while he was in Tartarus. Which meant he was currently trapped in there. And Will couldn't get him out. He started crying with Nico.

"Nico," he pleaded. "Please wake up. Please, baby, please."

"No! Will," Hearing his name, broke his heart.

"I'm right here! I love you." Will said, desperately.

"Per favore non dire così! Io ti amo. Ti amo tanto!" Although Will didn't speak fluent Italian, he recognized those words. _Io ti amo_. Nico was saying he loved him. He gathered Nico in his arms, ignoring his struggles.

"Shh, shh angel, it's okay. You aren't there anymore. It's okay! Shh, I'm here!" Nico continued struggling, as if under attack.

Will began to sing, softly. As he sang, Nico stopped struggling, but continued to shake. Will could hear him sobbing, so he started singing louder. His eyes slid shut, as he poured his heart into the song, holding onto to Nico, threading his fingers through the son of Hades' hair. Will's eyes opened as he felt Nico shoot up. Nico frantically looked around the room, breathing heavily. Will lightly touched Nico's shoulder and Nico flinched. He whipped around, scrambling away.

"Shh, shh Nico, it's okay!" He crawled towards Nico as he tried to get away. As Nico pulled himself from the terror of the nightmare, he started to realize that he was in his cabin. In Camp Half-Blood. Not Tartarus. He finally noticed Will.

"Will," he whimpered, crawling into his arms. He started sobbing into Will's chest.

"Shh, shh. It's okay baby, it's okay. You are safe. You aren't there anymore." Will held onto Nico tightly.

It took about twenty minutes for Nico to stop crying and get his breathing under control. He picked up his head and looked down at Will.

"Better?" Will traced Nico's cheekbones. Nico flinched and grunted in pain. Will was confused as to why. Nico closed his eyes, nuzzling into Will's hand and nodded.

"I thought-" Nico started, but his voice was raw with emotion. He cleared his throat. "I thought you weren't getting here until tomorrow."

"I wanted to surprise you." Will whispered. "You surprised me. Do you want to talk about it?" Nico grimaced, eyes scrunching, giving Will his answer. "You told me you haven't had a nightmare in a while." As Will said that, Nico's eyes open and he shifted, sitting up. Will picked up on his discomfort. "Nico, have you been having nightmares?"

"No." His eyes wouldn't meet Will's. Will sat up, lacing their hands together.

"Nico, look at me." Onyx eyes met blue. "Have you been having nightmares?" Nico sighed, defeated.

"Yes."

"How frequently?" Will could guess, judging by the bags under his boyfriend's eyes.

"The last month," Will sucked in a breath.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have changed your dosage of sleeping draught."

Nico was looking at the covers and their intertwined hands. "I didn't want you to worry. I knew you were busy." The son of Hades said quietly.

"That doesn't matter. I am never too busy for you, Nico," he gently grabbed Nico's chin, bringing it up so he could see the younger boys face, but Nico turned his face away. Will's eyebrows furrowed. Nico was hiding something. "Nico? What are you hiding?"

"I-N-nothing!" Will's eyebrows furrowed more deeply. He saw Nico gaze flicker to the side table and back to the covers. Will followed his glance and saw a bottle of sleeping draught on the table, unopened. No.

"Have you been taking your sleeping draught, Nico?" At that, Nico released Will's hand and got off the bed. "Nico?"

Nico whipped around. "No, I haven't Solace. I haven't been taking that stupid draught for a month."

Will felt a touch of disappointment. He thought Nico was getting better. "Why haven't you taken any? Are you cutting again?" Nico hesitated which answered the question. A sense of sadness and guilt swept over Will. He slowly got up, and walked over to Nico. "Let me see."

"No!" Nico grasped his wrist, and lunged out of the way. "Leave me alone, Will!" Will held his hands up in surrender.

"I'm just to understand what's wrong Nico, why did you stop taking your draught?"

"That's none of your business." Those words sent a surge of anger through Will.

"It is all of business, Nico. First off, I am your boyfriend. Second, I am your doctor. I care about you and your wellbeing-"

"Are you sure about that, Solace? Where were you when my father makes me do his dirty work at ungodly hours? Or when an Ares kid beat me- Where have you been the last month? When I needed you most?" Nico exploded. One phrase rang in Will's mind.

"Hold up, an Ares kid beat you up? When did this happen?" Rage flowed through Will.

"It doesn't matter. You weren't here to help." Guilt sparked inside Will.

"Nico, I have to go to school, you know that." Nico looked sheepish after that. "I would never choose to leave you if I was given the option."

"I know that."

"This isn't about me is it?"

"No. It's not. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you."

Will took a step closer to Nico. "Want to tell me what it is about?" Nico shook his head. Will took a step closer. "Please?" Nico looked up and Will stepped in front of him. The light from the dying fire caught Nico's face, and Will saw bags under his eyes, and a fading bruise on his face. Will gasped. "Who did that to you?" He was faced with silence. He sighed and gently took Nico's arm and rolled up the sleeve. New gashes made a crisscross pattern across the pale arm. Will sucked a breath in. "How long have you been doing this?"

"The last month. When we weren't able to talk." Nico said, quietly. Will guided Nico to his bathroom, switching on the light. Nico shuddered away from the light, throwing a hand over his eyes. He sat him down on the side of the tub, grabbed supplies, and sat on floor in front of him.

"Why didn't you tell me, Nico? You told me you were fine. Why did you lie?" He gently removed Nico's hands from his face. The harsh light showed the damage on Nico's face. Bags under his eyes revealed his exhaustion. The fading bruise was in the shape of a fist. Will looked into Nico's eyes.

"I don't know."

"Don't you lie to me, Nico. Tell me what this is all about. Because I know it's not about me being at school."

"It's because I'm weak." Will dropped the bottle of rubbing alcohol he was holding.

"What? Nico, you are the opposite of weak. What got you thinking like that?"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Will sighed, defeated. He picked up the bottle. He unscrewed the bottle of alcohol, poured it on a cotton swab, and started dabbing Nico's arm. Nico hissed in pain, trying to pull away, but Will gripped his arm.

"I know it hurts, but we have got to get you cleaned up." He started making his way up Nico's arm. He glanced up at Nico's face. Tears were streaming down his face. Will decided to put Nico's physical wellbeing first, as he seem to have many injuries. He would worry about his mental state after cleaning him up. "When's the last time you slept, Nico?"

"Tonight. And before that, about a week ago." Will closed his eyes, in worry.

"Nico," he breathed. "What other injuries do you have besides your arms?" Nico shifted.

"I don't know. I know I have some chest injures" Will sighed. He wrapped Nico's arms.

"Take off your shirt." Nico grimaced in pain as he pulled off his shirt. Will gasped as he saw Nico's torso, littered with cuts and bruises. "Nico, how did you get these? Why haven't you gotten them treated?"

"I got them because I'm weak! I am so weak. I can't handle these tasks my father is giving me. I keep training and training but I can't get any stronger. I keep passing out when I use my powers. I am too weak to even fight my nightmares, so I stopped taking the draught because I shouldn't need help to sleep, but I kept getting worse nightmares. I was too weak. I started cutting again. I wanted to tell you, but I was too weak. And I knew you were busy. I didn't want to be a disturbance." Will's heart broke as Nico told his tale.

"What about that Ares kid? Is he responsible for some of these injuries?"

Nico gulped. "Yes."

"Please, Nico," Will begged. "Please tell me what happened."

Nico looked deeply into Will's eyes. The two boys fought a silent battle with their gazes. Nico broke it off first, eyes flitting to the ground. "About a week ago, I was walking in the forest to try to get my mind off everything and I walked up on this Ares kid beating up this young Hermes camper. He was calling this kid disgusting for being... For being gay. This made me a little angry, so I confronted the guy telling him to stop picking on the kid, and pick on someone his own side. He let the kid go and turned to me. The kid ran. I tried to summon some skeletons, but the kid grabbed me and started beating me up. I don't know how long he did so because I passed out."

Will felt anger surge through him. He was going to kill this Ares kid. Why has he not been there to help Nico? And where were the rest of "Nico's friends" who were supposed to be there for him?

"Where were Jason? Or Percy? Or your other friends that could have helped you?"

"Everyone is coming down for Christmas in a couple of days. But right now, Jason and Piper are at Camp Jupiter with Frank, Hazel, and Reyna. Percy and Annabeth finishing up their senior year in New York. Leo and Calypso are Gods knows where on Festus. And I don't really talk to anyone else."

"No one noticed though? If your condition has been deteriorating for the last month-"

Nico stood up and shook off Will's hands which were working in patching up his chest. "No one notices me, Will. Look, I'm fine. So if you wanna head out-"

Will stood and walked so he was in front of Nico. He brought Nico's chin up, forcing their eyes to meet. "I notice you. I notice everything about you. And you are not fine, Nico. And you know what? That's okay. Because you will be okay. And I will be there for you, every step of the way."

He tilted his head, and adjusted his grip on Nico's jaw, careful not to aggravate the bruise. Their lips met. Will felt Nico melt against him. Will moved his hands to Nico's waist and encouraged Nico to wrap his legs around his waist. Nico obliged, not breaking the kiss. Will slowly walked them over to the bed. He laid the son of Hades on his back and propped himself over him. He broke off the kiss looking down at Nico. "I love you." He whispered.

"I know," Nico breathed. "I missed you so much."

He grabbed Will's face reconnecting their lips. Before the two boys could get lost in each other, Will broke off the kiss. Nico whimpered in frustration.

"You are hurt, Nico. Let me help you." Will whispered.

Nico closed his eyes, before nodding.

Will reached for the side table. He grabbed the vial of sleeping draught there and uncorked it. "You need sleep more than anything," he whispered. He brought the vial to Nico's lips and tipped the contents into Nico's mouth. Nico swallowed it obediently. His body relaxed as the draught took effect. Within moments, the son of Hades was sleeping peacefully.


	2. Chapter 2: Passed Out

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot.

This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!

Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!

* * *

Will's POV:

Will flicked on the lamp on the bedside table to begin examining the now sleeping Nico. He peered down at Nico's bruised and lacerated chest. Most of these looked like they were from monsters, but they would heal nicely with ambrosia and nectar. Some of the cuts looked self-made. Will sighed heavily and looked down to Nico's pants. He slightly pulled them down to look at Nico's thighs. Just as he had thought. Completely ravaged. And he had been doing so well. The difference one month can make.

He couldn't believe he or any of Nico's friends had let this get so out of hand. Even though they were all busy, someone should have stayed with Nico while he recovered. He trusted Kayla to look after Nico when he was gone. But it wasn't just her fault.

An inkling of guilt twinged as Will continued to examine his boyfriend. He didn't know the last time Nico had eaten. Looking at his boyfriend, Will guessed it had been days; that meant that he couldn't risk feeding him ambrosia. He started humming a hymn and his started to glow. He rubbed his hands together and began humming more loudly, running his hands, without touching, over Nico's body. The cuts and bruises slowly started disappearing. As the wounds healed, Will got more and more exhausted. Healing Nico always drained him.

After about twenty minutes, when all the worse cuts had been sealed, Will moved his hands over Nico's face. The bruise and bags under his eyes disappeared and Nico was finally healed. Dark spots blinked in Wills vision. _Uh oh_ Will thought _I overtaxed myself_. Will started to black out as he aimed himself to the side of Nico, hoping to avoid crushing the boy. As his head hit the pillow, darkness embraced him.

* * *

Nico's POV:

Nico woke slowly, blinking crust out of his eyes. He felt strangely at peace and started to sink back into sleep. He turned to his side and found himself looking into a face. He screamed, startled, and fell out of the bed. He hit the ground and rolled into a crouch, grabbing a knife that was on the floor. He pointed it at the figure in his bed.

"Who are you?" The figure didn't move. Nico cautiously got up. He peered down at the figure and realized it was Will. "Gods! Will!" Nico dropped the knife, going to grab his boyfriend's shoulders. Nico shook them, but to no avail as Will didn't stir.

Nico screwed his eyes in concentration, struggling to remember why Will was here. He wasn't supposed to arrive until the next day. Why was he here? And why was he asleep in Nico's bed? He looked at his hands as he tried to recollect what had happened. He noticed that his cuts were faint. He pulled them closer to inspect them. The skin was merely scar tissue now. He looked all up his arms. Unscathed. He pulled up his shirt to look at his stomach. All the bruises had faded. The cuts merely scars now. He glanced at the bedside table and saw an empty vial. That's what it was. Never say that Nico was slow upon waking up.

He shook Will again with no response. That confirmed Nico's suspicion. Will had healed him and passed out. Which explained why he wasn't waking up.

"Will, c'mon, you need to wake up," he shook him more vigorously. Will was dead to the world. "Will!" No response. A cold feeling settled over Nico. Had Will completely depleted his energy? That wasn't good. He needed to get Will to the infirmary.

He grabbed his phone as he rushed out of his cabin. He jogged across the lawn and made it to the steps of the Big House. He walked through the house and pushed his way into the Infirmary doors. As the door hit the wall, Kayla jumped at the desk she was sitting at, dropping her pen.

"Holy Zeus, Nico. You scared me!" She caught sight of Nico's face and immediately stood, walking over to him. "What happened? Are you okay? When is the last time you ate? You look so gaunt! And so exhausted! I was going to come and check on you before Will got here. " She peered into his eyes, placing a guiding hand onto his arm to try and led him to a bed.

"Fine! Kayla, I'm fine! But Will..."

Kayla interrupted him. "Yes, yes Will is arriving later today. But are you sure you are alright? I know I haven't checked on you the past week or so. I've just been so busy."

"Kayla-"

"You haven't been cutting have you?"

"Kayla-"

"Because Will would kill me. Do you need more sleeping-"

"KAYLA! Will is hurt!"

"What? How?!" Panic set over Kayla as the words registered. She frantically started gathering up supplies.

"I tried... Look it doesn't matter. He isn't badly hurt. He got here last night. He was healing me and I think he drained his energy." Kayla's eyes narrowed as she stopped.

"Why was he healing you, Nico?" Nico shrugged off her question.

"Look that doesn't matter. Are you going to help me or not?"

Kayla gestured to two of her siblings who had wandered in to see what the commotion was. "Go with Nico to his cabin and bring Will in here. He's drained himself yet again." They nodded and Nico started to lead them out. "Oh, and Nico?" He turned. "Don't you dare think this is over because we will be talking about this once you get back in here."

Nico gulped as he led the two Apollo kids out. Kayla had taken over Will's job as Nico's doctor while Will was at school so she knew all about his self-harm, eating, and sleeping habits. Nico had fought with Will about him telling Kayla, but he had eventually conceded, with the promise that Kayla would not judge or tell anyone.

She had been swamped the past couple of weeks as well so had been unable to see the deterioration of Nico's health. Nico knew that Will would be livid with his sister for not making sure Nico was okay. Nico knew that he was also in for another lecture from Will when he woke up. Nico hoped he would soon.

Nico sat next to Will in the infirmary, thinking how backwards it was. It was usually him in the bed and Will sitting anxiously by his side. He bounced his knees up and down as he pulled out his phone. He glanced at the date on his phone and saw that it was December 20th. One day before the Winter Solstice. Where he and his friends had been invited to on Mount Olympus. The gods were honoring them for their defeat of the giants. Nico was shocked that the gods even remembered to thank them in the first place.

He looked down to see he had texts from Jason, Percy, Leo, and Hazel, all saying they would be coming at around dinner time which was at 6. It was already 5:30. He shot a quick text saying 'Great! See you then,' so they wouldn't worry. Nico wished they weren't arriving today because he didn't want them to see how terrible he had gotten and for them to all be disappointed. He didn't think he could handle that.

He grabbed Will's hand into his, hoping for the support he needed. Will was on an IV and Kayla had said that he would probably be awake by nightfall. He had avoided her lecture, but he had a feeling he was still going to get one. And speak of the devil, Kayla walked in with a tray of food. She set the tray down and put her hands on her hips, looking at Nico.

"We need to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you Kayla. What's done is done, and you have no proof that I even did anything." Nico snapped.

"The proof I have is lying comatose in front of you..."

"You are blaming this on me?"

"Well I mean he is in here because of you. He wouldn't have hurt himself like this, almost killing himself if it wasn't for you." The second she said it, Nico could see that she regretted it. But the damage was already done. "Nico, I didn-"

Nico stood to confront Kayla. "You know what? You're right. He hurt himself because of me. Next time, I'll be sure to kill myself so he doesn't hurt himself again."

"Nico!"

"I am so sorry for the fact that I got beat up and decided to slice my own wrists open because I am too weak to get help from someone who won't hurt themselves trying to make sure that I am 100% healthy. I am more ashamed than you are disappointed. If you are going to continue to chew me out, you can leave."

One phrase stuck out to Kayla. "Wait, who beat you up?"

"That is none of your concern."

"Yes, it is! Will made it my responsibility to look after you!"

"I don't need to be babysat no matter what Will thinks. And you didn't do a very good job, did you? Will wouldn't be in here if you had done your job." Kayla reeled back.

"Don't you dare try to blame this on me, Nico..."

"Oh, that's right. This is all my fault. It's my own fault for getting beat up because I'm weak and helpless and gay. I cut myself because I'm incompetent and scream myself awake every morning because of the nightmares I have. It's my fault for getting sucked in Tartarus and put through hell. Thanks for reminding what I am constantly thinking about 24/7. How courteous of you." Nico spat at Kayla. She stepped back. "Now if you would be so kind as to get out and leave me alone with my boyfriend."

"I'll leave you two be." She said quietly. She gestured to the bedside table where the tray sat. "This is for you. You looked a little gaunt, so I got you some food."

Nico sunk back into his chair, staring lazily at his boyfriend. It was his fault that Will continued to deplete himself. If Nico was strong enough not to cut himself or strong enough to actually fight his opponents, Will wouldn't hurt himself. But Nico wasn't strong and that was the problem. Nico was the problem. And he needed to fix that. Dropping his boyfriend's hand and ignoring the tray of food, Nico walked out of the infirmary, his mind on his mission.


	3. Chapter 3: The Heroes of Olympus

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses the themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Jason's POV:

Jason stumbled as he was pulled out of the shadow of a tree, still grasping Piper's hand. Hazel had shadow-traveled him, Frank, Piper, Reyna, and herself from Camp Jupiter to right outside Camp Half-Blood. Percy had called Blackjack and Guido earlier in the day, not wanting to make Hazel carry two extra people, and was projected to arrive around the same time from New York. Leo was arriving from who knows where on Festus.

Adjusting his glasses, he glanced at Piper, smiling. She looked like she was going to throw up. He moved his hand to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she waved his hand away, saying that she was fine. He looked around at everyone. Everyone's faces were bright, excited to be at Camp Half-Blood. Except Reyna, but Jason could tell she was secretly pleased. Hazel had been practicing jumping so she no longer passed out traveling far distances. All she needed was a square of ambrosia which Frank was already giving her.

Jason looked around, making sure everyone was okay, and received nods of affirmation as they started over the hill and across the boundary. The snow disappeared and grass appeared beneath their feet. Travis Stoll, who had been on lookout, jumped from the tree to come and greet the demigods. He first approached Jason.

"Welcome back, Jay. How's California?" He asked, shaking his hand and pulling him into a side hug. Jason clapped him on the back for a second and released his grip before responding.

"Quite a lot warmer than this, I can say that. Where is the rest of our welcome committee?" Jason was disappointed that Nico hadn't come to meet them. After all, he had seemed excited that they were coming home and had texted them saying he would meet up with them. But then again, it was Nico so he didn't really expect anything different of the son of Hades. He wasn't one for social interactions. At any rate, he was probably spending time with his boyfriend. He looked at Travis who he realized was speaking.

"...they sent me out to greet you guys and bring you to your 'welcome home feast'," he said with air quotes around 'welcome home feast'. "Which is exactly like a normal feast, just you guys will be there."

"That's sweet," Piper said.

"Alright, well let's get this party started then." Travis exclaimed.

"Have Percy or Leo arrived yet?" Reyna asked.

"Not yet, but it's just now 6, and we know how late demigods are sometimes. Especially those two" Travis joked. The five laughed. "Didn't it take you guys two weeks to get to Epirus when it was supposed to take three days?"

"Even with Annabeth and Calypso, those two still find ways to make trouble." Reyna said.

"I'm sure they'll get here soon. They would rather die than to miss a meal," Frank's response led to more laughter.

They arrived at the dining pavilion and their names started being called as friends noticed their arrival. Jason was separated from Piper as he shook hands with people and clapped his friends on the back. As he made he made his way around the pavilion, he kept his eyes open for Nico, but the elusive son of Hades was nowhere in sight. But he wasn't the only one who noticed his absence.

"Wondering where Nico is?" Reyna muttered in Jason's ear.

"Have you seen him?" Jason asked, straightening up to survey the area with her.

"No, but Will is absent too, which makes me think he has something to do with it." Jason hadn't even noticed the son of Apollo missing. He spotted Kayla, concern knit in her eyebrows, and was beginning to make his way over to her before the stomping of hooves interrupted him. Chiron was standing, waiting to make an announcement. Nico would have to wait.

"Welcome back from Camp Jupiter. It is wonderful to see all of you and we are honored that you are part of the group that will be representing our camp and Jupiter at the Winter Solstice..."

The whinny of a horse interrupted him. He whipped around to see Percy and Annabeth arriving on their pegasi. The whole camp clapped as the two demigods descended. Percy grinned as he slid off Blackjack and helped Annabeth off another one. He muttered a few words to the pegasi and they trotted off.

As he turned to face the crowd, he was enveloped in a furry mass as Grover went to hug his best friend. Jason grinned. Percy and Annabeth were finishing up their senior year in New York and though Jason went to the camp frequently, he continually traveled between both camps because of his role as _Pontifex Maximus_ , so he hadn't seen much of Percy in the last three months. He sauntered over and did a complicated handshake-hug with Percy.

"Welcome home, Perce."

"Thanks, Jay, it's great to be back." Everyone muttered their hellos and exchanged their hugs. After the initial commotion had settled down, Chiron cleared his throat. Everyone sat as he spoke.

"As I was saying, welcome home. We are honored to have you represent us-" a loud roar filling the sky. Festus appeared on the horizon, racing toward the camp. "Oh, for Zeus' sake, why do I even try?" Chiron grumbled. "Carry on with your greetings and dinner; we shall continue this announcement after the feast."

Jason stood, Piper following as Festus landed on the beach. They walked down, a group following them, to meet Leo and Calypso. A tan Leo ran up to meet them. He barreled into Jason, hugging him fiercely.

"Hey man! Did ya miss me?" Leo asked. Jason laughed.

"Of course I did. How was... where ever you were?" Jason asked, releasing his best friend.

"The Caribbean was beautiful and the beaches were phenomenal." Calypso exclaimed, kissing Jason's cheek as he hugged her. "It's so nice not to be trapped on a beach anymore and just enjoy the sand."

"Yeah, I bet," Jason never knew exactly what to say to Calypso, because she had experienced such isolation that Jason couldn't even begin to fathom. But he tried his best, because Leo loved her and she was a pretty cool goddess. He watched as Percy and Annabeth awkwardly exchanged hugs with Calypso. There was still tension between the three that they had never worked out, but Jason didn't know from where or what. Something about Ogygia and Tartarus, but Jason had never asked.

"Beauty queen, you keeping Jason in line?" Leo asked, bestowing a hug onto Piper.

"Of course, I have to provide him the attention he needs when the second part of the bromance isn't there." She said sarcastically, winking as Jason.

"Did you guys decide on Lason, or Jeo?" Percy asked.

"Neither because I'm taken." Jason stated, pulling Piper to his side.

"Yeah, by me," Percy stated, inserting himself between Piper and Jason. "Jercy forever, bro."

"Now that Jason, Percy, and I are together, it is triple the trouble." Leo said, putting his arm around Percy's and Jason's necks.

"Oh boy." The respective girlfriends said in unison.

"Alright enough, are we the only sensible ones here?" Frank asked, looking at Hazel.

"I guess so," she agreed, quickly hugging Leo.

"We all need to be sensible considering we are representing both camps on Mount Olympus tomorrow," Reyna stated, practical as ever.

She nodded at Calypso and Leo. Jason could tell she had a great respect for the goddess. He wondered why she didn't engage Calypso as much. After all, they had so much in common. The group stood in a loose circle. They were all silent for a moment.

"Heroes of Olympus, reunited," Hazel murmured quietly, not wanting to ruin pride that the moment brought.

"Not quite, where is Nico?" Jason said.

"Yeah I noticed he was missing-"

"Y'all haven't seen him?-"

"Where is your brother, Hazel?"

"Didn't he text you guys saying he would be here?"

"Yes, Jason and I were talking," everyone fell silent as Reyna began speaking. She tended to have that effect on people. "And neither of us saw Nico or Will, so we don't know where they are, but they are mostly likely together."

"I can text Nico and ask him," Percy said, pulling out his phone.

"I noticed Kayla, and she looked really nervous about something so maybe that has something to do with it. We can go find and ask her-"

"There's no need," Frank said, gesturing. Jason turned to see Kayla approaching.

"Jason, I need to talk to you." She looked around at the large number of people in the group. "Privately."

"Okay." Jason glanced a meaningful look back to the group as he walked to the edge of the cabins with Kayla. She looked around; making sure no one was in sight before looking back at Jason. "What's this about?"

"It's Nico." Fear settled in the pit of Jason's stomach.

"Did something happen to him? Is he okay?"

"I don't know exactly what happened, but this morning he rushed into the infirmary, going on about how Will was hurt. We brought Will in, and he's okay now," she said to the concerned look on Jason's face. "Still unconscious, but projected to wake up soon. Anyway, Nico and I had a... disagreement and we were both yelling at each other and I left the infirmary to let him cool off and when I returned he was gone."

Alarm bells went off in Jason's head. It was never a good thing when Nico disappeared. He started formulating plans to search for Nico. _Stop_ he thought _Slow down. Take a deep breath. Think. Where would Nico go?_ "I don't think he left camp. He wouldn't leave if Will was injured or hurt. He must still be somewhere on the grounds or in his cabin. Have you checked?"

Kayla shook her head. "I just discovered that he was missing and went to go find someone who was closer to him. And we just got into a fight and this is all my fault!" Kayla burst into tears, her head in her hands. Jason was surprised. Kayla was usually so level headed, especially in a crisis. What had Nico said to her? Or what had happened to Will? Jason patted her on the arm.

"Hey, there's no need for that. You know how Nico is. He does this sometimes, but he always comes back and we always help him. This isn't your fault."

"B-but it is! A-and if I h-had just kept a cl-closer eye on him, we wouldn't have t-this problem!" She spluttered between sobs. Jason put his arms on her shoulders.

"Look at me Kayla. We are going to find him. I am almost 99% sure he is still at camp. He is just cooling off. And this is not your fault. Nico is not your responsibility and he does what he wants. Do not take the blame for Nico's actions, okay?" She just sniveled. "Okay?" He repeated. She nodded. "Alright, well why don't you go take the group and go to dinner, and I will go find Nico, okay?" Kayla nodded, composing herself. She wiped away tear tracks and nodded thanks to Jason.

Jason watched as she talked to the group and made some sort of excuse to where Jason had gone. They all seemed to buy it and they accompanied Kayla to the dining pavilion. With his friends out of the way, Jason could focus on finding Nico. _Alright Nico, where are you hiding?_


	4. Chapter 4: The Duel

_Warnings: self-harm, self-loathing, violence. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do not read if any of these themes upset you!_

 _Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses the themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

Nico sliced the head off the training dummy. Practicing with straw figures wasn't the same as fighting a monster, but it was the only way he could think of to release his stress. He had summoned some skeletons, but that had only drained his energy.

Nico had heard the conch for dinner but had elected to ignore it. He didn't feel like interacting with anyone or seeing any of his friends. He had heard Festus arrive, but he ignored that as well. He was only focused on fine-tuning his skills. Nico felt lightheaded, but he refused to stop. He needed to build up his strength. And if that meant training until he collapsed, then so be it. He cut down another training dummy.

"Now, what did that dummy do to deserve that?" Nico whipped around, sword centimeters away from slicing open Jason's throat. "Easy there, killer." Jason put his hands up in a defensive surrender.

Nico dropped his sword, turning away. "Don't sneak up on me like that." He used his sword point to sift through the remains of the dummy.

"Fair enough." The son of Jupiter stated. Nico looked up. Jason was smiling at him. "I'm happy to see you, man. I haven't seen you in weeks!"

"Yeah, hi, welcome back," Nico said shortly, stabbing his sword into another dummy.

"What's the reason for this massacre?" Jason gestured at the mutilated dummies.

"Training."

"Is today a one-word answer day?"

Nico, exasperated, looked up at Jason. "What do you want, Grace?"

Jason looked affronted. Nico only called him by his last name when he was angry with him. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," he averted his eyes.

"When's the last time you ate? Or slept?"

"Look, I'm glad you're back, but I really don't feel like going through an interrogation, thanks. Can you leave me alone? I was training before you interrupted me."

Jason sighed. "I'm just worried, Nico." He lightly punched Nico in the arm. "I'll train with you to spare these dummies from any more injuries. They aren't that easy to make. Believe me, I've tried in arts and crafts. So. Much. Straw." He shivered. He blinked back the memory, before smirking at Nico. "But, what do you say? A little one-on-one sparring session?"

He withdrew his gladius from his waistband and pointed it at Nico.

"Why not?" Nico agreed, realizing Jason wasn't going anywhere. Best make most of his training time.

He set his sword aside, not wanting to reap Jason of his soul in case he nicked him. He grabbed a well-balanced sword from the rack. He and Jason started walking in a defensive circle, around the middle of the arena, waiting for the other to attack.

"I don't think we've ever dueled before." Jason was trying to distract him. "Two sons of the Big Three, battling it out for glory and bragging rights. Who will strike-?" Nico lunged forward, cutting off Jason's monologue. Jason deflected his sword and used the wind to blow Nico backward. Nico landed in a crouch.

"So we are playing with powers, are we? I can fight fire with fire," he muttered under his breath.

He stood, raising his arms, as Jason barreled towards him. Nico closed his eyes, waiting. The ground around him erupted. Jason faltered and stopped as skeletons began knitting themselves together. Jason tried to zap them away, but more kept forming and reforming. Nico felt his energy drain, but he had cornered Jason. He gripped the sword and walked through his ranks of the undead. He lashed out his sword which met Jason's in the air, sparking. The exchanged blows.

Suddenly, Jason's sword sliced his arm. Nico hissed at the pain, hefting his sword higher. He should have been able to deflect that blow. Jason was barely even trying and he had hurt him!

Jason notice he had nicked Nico and attempted to stop. But, Nico had other ideas. He continued to aim blows at the son of Jupiter. Jason fought back, but only defensively, not wanting to hurt Nico again. Nico noticed this and pushed Jason harder, forcing him to fight. Jason aimed another easy blow, one he expected Nico to block, but the sword hit its mark. It sliced Nico's arm again. Nico was surprised. Was he really that weak that he couldn't block easy moves?

"I'm sorry Nico. I thought you were going to block that one." Jason apologized. "Are you okay?"

Nico felt a wave of nausea. Black spots danced in his vision. He felt his skeletons collapse all around him. His sword fell from his hand as he pitched forward. He didn't notice Jason move, but suddenly, he was on the ground, looking into Jason's eyes. He watched Jason's mouth open and close, but he could not discern what he was saying. His eyes started to close when nectar was trickled down his throat. Jason was helping him

His nausea passed and he could see again. He found a concerned pair of eyes looking down at him.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked. Nico cleared this throat and pushed away from Jason. He stood up, quickly and found himself swaying slightly. "Easy there." Jason stood as well, steadying the boy. "You need to go to the infirmary. Will needs to check you out."

Nico gulped at Will's name. "I'm fine, thanks."

Jason saw right through his lie. "Uh huh, is that why you almost passed out?"

"It's just a cut. There is no need to bother Will about it. He is busy with Winter Solstice stuff." Nico lied, unaware that Jason knew, for a fact, that Will was lying comatose in the infirmary.

"You won't go to the infirmary?"

"I'm fine." Nico insisted. "I just think I need to get a good night's sleep tonight. I want to be okay at the Solstice tomorrow."

Jason admitted defeat. "Alright, fine. I will escort you back to your cabin to make sure you don't do anything stupid."

Nico nodded and grabbed his Stygian iron sword. He headed towards the arena exit, with Jason following him. He looked across the lawn and saw everyone still eating at the pavilion. Jason saw this too.

"Don't you need to eat dinner?" Jason asked. "I can eat with you; I'm starving."

"I- I ate with Will before I went to the arena." Nico fibbed.

"That's a lie," Jason called him out. Nico's heart started racing. How had he known?

"How would you know otherwise?" Nico said calmly. They had arrived at the Hades cabin. "You didn't arrive until about an hour ago."

Jason leaned against Nico's door, blocking his way. "I know that Will is in the infirmary-"

"- like he usually is-"

"-unconscious." Jason finished, ignoring Nico's interruption. "Want to explain why he is unconscious?"

"He's fine. And I'm fine. Right now, I just want sleep, so if you would please move over," he tried to push Jason out of the way. No chance. "I'd like to get into my cabin."

"Why are you lying?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

Jason threw his hands up in defeat. "I don't understand, Nico. I'm just worried about you. Why won't you let anyone in?"

"Why won't you let me into my cabin?" Nico retorted.

Jason continues, acting as if he didn't hear the question. "I'm not the only one concerned. Kayla is-"

"Kayla doesn't give a damn about me. And neither do you." Nico interrupted.

Jason scrunched his eyebrows. "What are you talking about? Of course, I do!"

"If you care about me, then let me go to sleep," Nico commanded. He stared down Jason. Jason didn't look like he was going to back down, but after a few minutes, he relented. He stepped away from the door.

"Fine, you win. I would usually stay here to make sure you didn't do anything drastic, but I know Hazel is sleeping here tonight and she doesn't know about your destructive habits. I'm sure you'll make the right decision."

Nico thought he heard a challenge in Jason's tone. "Are you threatening to tell my sister, Grace? After I confided in you?"

"Absolutely not. That was just to warn you that your sister is going to be here tonight and I wouldn't want her to find you in a pool of blood, would you?" Jason asked. "I'm trying to help, but I can't help you if you won't let me."

Nico pushed passed him, opening the door. "I don't want your help and I definitely do not need your pity." He slammed the door in Jason's face.

He looked around his cabin and started to clean up. As he was picking up a t-shirt from the floor, he found a razor blade. He wanted badly to use it, but he knew Jason was right. He was weak for wanting to use it. And he was weak because of how easily Jason had beaten him. He used to be an expert swordsman, but that had apparently disappeared in the last couple of months. He felt so weak all of the time. He could barely control his powers.

More self-loathing thoughts intruded and before he could stop himself, he was cutting three more slits into his wrists, matching the ones Jason had added earlier.

 _No,_ he thought _Will just gave me a clean slate this morning and here I go, wasting it._ Will had caused himself pain, passing out after healing Nico. And Nico went and hurt himself again. Nico hated it when Will healed him because he was always so drained and exhausted afterward. Which was Nico's fault.

Nico just wanted to go back to the time when he could hurt himself and no one cared if he did or not. He wanted to be invisible again. People and their emotions were just too much for Nico. He wanted to hurt himself and only himself, no one else in the process. He wanted to go back to the time when he was a powerful demigod, not some amateur waving a sword around. He needed to be alone and isolated again. That was the only way he could get back on top of his game. He needed to cut himself off from his friends. Which, considering none of them had cared the past four months, wouldn't be extremely difficult.

The problem would be trying to get William Solace to leave him alone. There was only one solution. Nico would have to break up with Will.


	5. Chapter 5: Confrontation

_Warnings: mentions of self-harm, angst. Please do not read if any of these themes upset you._

 _Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed_ in _this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

A faint beeping noise aroused him from his sleep. As the noise became louder, he noticed other things. He was in a hospital bed. He had a mask on his nose and mouth. Why was he in the infirmary? Oh. He remembered that he had drained himself healing Nico. Nico! His eyes flew open. He turned to see if Nico was sitting next to him, but the chair was vacant. Will felt a twinge of disappointment that he wasn't there, but also an immense amount of worry.

He had just wanted to heal Nico at the time and was unsure of his boyfriend's mental state at the moment. He needed to find him before he did anything drastic. He sat up, pulling out the IV and ripped off the mask. He put his feet on the floor and stood. The infirmary was empty except for him. He made his way to the infirmary door, but before he reached it, Kayla walked inside.

"He lives. You know that you keep scaring the crap out of me when you drain yourself, right?" She said, crossing her arms. Will felt sheepish for a second.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. By the way, I'm in here because of Nico. Where is he?" Kayla pointedly looked away. "Kayla?"

"He left hours ago. It's about ten o'clock right now. I was nervous that he would do something, but Jason found him in the arena and brought him to his cabin, where he's apparently been asleep."

"Why did you think he'd do something? Is he okay?"

"He and I had a little... confrontation and some harsh words were exchanged."

"I thought I asked you to look out for Nico and make sure he was okay and eating and sleeping and not cutting. And I come back to him, beat up, bruised, and bloody as well as exhausted and starving. His wrists and thighs were worse than I have seen them in a while. He looked dead on his feet. He hasn't been sleeping at all. And he got beat up! On your watch! And you or nobody else noticed!"

"I'm sorry, but it's honestly hard to control and keep track of him all the time." She said feebly.

"To keep track of him? Kayla, I didn't ask you to be with him for twenty-four hours a day. I asked you to see him at least once a day or even once a week to make sure he's healthy! And you failed to do that. We are back to square one and he is cutting again and having nightmares and not eating and lying to me. And if that's not worst, he got beat up by someone at camp! And nobody noticed! I asked you to do one simple thing Kayla and you failed to do so!" He yelled.

Kayla's bottom lip trembled. "Will, I'm sorry, I truly am. I know you made it my responsibility but I obviously couldn't handle it. Nico is a mess and I don't know how to fix him."

Will sighed, anger melting away and replaced by guilt for getting angry with his sister. "I know. I'm sorry for yelling. He needs some serious help, help that I shouldn't expect you to be able to provide it, if I, as his boyfriend, can't even provide. I might have to ask Chiron for help because I don't think I can do this on my own. Something is seriously wrong and I want to be able to help him, but I don't know if I can.

"Think about it, in four months, all his progress completely disappeared and he's back to cutting himself again. I don't understand how it got so bad. And I also don't get why someone would give him crap when he's in this delicate of a state. I don't even know the kid who beat him up, but once I find him-"

"-there is no reason to sink to his level." A voice from the shadows uttered. Both Kayla and Will jumped, as Nico slinked into the infirmary.

Will felt like he got caught red-handed. "How much of that did you-"

"Enough," Nico cut him off. "Enough to know that none of this was Kayla's fault and I don't know why you are blaming her for my weakness."

"I just asked for her to check up on you every so often-"

"You asked her to babysit me. I don't need your protection, William. I'm a big boy and can take care of myself."

"Really? Could have fooled me." Will snipped.

"Nice, let's play a game called make rude comments about the mentally ill kid, that'll boost his confidence and lessen the need for him to cut," Nico said, sarcastically.

"I didn't mean it... For gods sake. Nico, you have depression and anxiety and those things are okay, but you have to accept help with dealing with them. That's why I asked Kayla to look after you!" As he spoke, Will noticed Kayla slowly inch out and leave the infirmary, not wanting to get out in the middle of a fight.

"I can deal with them on my own. And all the help I have ever gotten has all been for naught considering I'm in a worse state now, after getting help than ever before. Oh yeah, and now I'm getting beat up for it too."

"I will help you find this bully and bring him to ju-"

"No! And this is why I don't ask for help! Will, I can fight my own battles. This is not your fight and not your issue."

"The moment someone hurts you or something happens to you, it becomes my issue. As your boyfriend, it is my job to help you solve your issues."

"I don't need your help. It makes me feel weak when you say that. And that feeling of weakness worsens my mental health. I can fight my own battles and deal with my own issues on my own. I don't want your help!"

"Well, that's too bad, because I'm going to continue to give it to you. I'm your boyfriend and I am going to continue to help you. That's what the definition of a boyfriend is-"

"Then I'm breaking up with you!" The words rang out in the empty infirmary. It took Will a minute to process and respond to what Nico had just said. _Breaking up with me?_

"Excuse me?" He whispered, not daring to believe that those were the words that had just exited Nico's mouth.

"You heard me, I'm breaking up with you." Will couldn't believe his ears. This had to be some sort of joke, right?

"No, no, don't play with me, Nico. This is just some self-depreciating ploy to try and distance yourself from me. I don't believe it for one second. You are just trying to isolate yourself. That's not going to happen."

"It's not a ploy. It's not a joke or a trick. I am breaking up with you! I've been planning it for a while. I realized that I don't love you and I don't need you anymore." The words stabbed Will like tiny swords. No.

"You don't love me?"

"No, I don't. You are too demanding and try to fight my battles and give me the protection that I don't need. I don't need you, Will. I don't need you!"

"But, but I need you, Nico." Tears burned in Will's eyes. "I-I love you."

"I don't love you. Why would I need you? You can't even heal me."

"How dare you say that, Nico-"

"How dare I? How dare you go behind my back, criticize me, and try to involve people that will put me in a loony bin. I heard all of that when you were talking to Kayla. You want to 'protect me' by doing that. I don't need you! I will be fine on my own. "

"Nico, please-"

"I don't love you and I don't need you. Thanks for trying but I don't need you anymore. I'll bring your stuff over after the Solstice tomorrow. Goodbye Will."

"No, Nico, don't go-" but Nico was already out the door. _No, this can't be happening_ Will thought. _I'm in a dream and I'm going to wake up soon. This can't be real. This can't be real._

Will collapsed on the floor, sobbing. He loved Nico, and Nico had just broken his heart and broken up with him. He didn't know how long he stayed like that until Kayla came in, asking what had happened. He explained everything through his tears, sobbing about how Nico didn't love him anymore. But little did he know that across the camp, in Cabin 13, a certain son of Hades was on his floor sobbing just as hard as Will, with no one to comfort him.


	6. Chapter 6: Aftermath

_Warnings: mentions of self-harm, angst. Please do not read if any of these themes upset you._

 _Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed in this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

A loud knock on the door woke him.

"Rise and shine, Nico. Today is the day to meet the gods!" Jason's voice rang out. Nico looked around, realizing he was collapsed on the floor. He glanced down to see last night's work on his arms. "Are you awake? Can I come-"

Panic shot through Nico as the door handle rattled "No, no, no! I-I'm not wearing anything."

"Okay, geez, sorry. I was just making sure you were awake."

"Yeah, I am. I was- just changing."

"Are you sure you are not otherwise occupied? With a certain someone?" Jason joked. The words sent a stab of pain through Nico's heart. He didn't respond. "Nico. I was kidding. I haven't seen him at all this morning. I thought he was in here waking you up."

"He's probably in the infirmary or something. You can go on to breakfast. I'll meet you there shortly. I have to shower." Nico said, changing the subject. If Jason had noticed the subject change, he didn't say anything about it.

"Alright, I'll be sure to save you a spot. Everyone missed you last night and are excited to see you." Nico listened as Jason's footsteps retreated.

He let out a sigh of relief that the son of Jupiter hadn't pushed his way into the room to see the mess Nico had made of himself. Because that would lead to questions and probably Jason forcing him to the infirmary to get looked over by Will.

Will. Tears burned at his eyes as he thought about how he had destroyed what he had with the son of Apollo. Seeing that crushing desperation in Will's eyes and knowing that he had caused it had broken Nico last night. He had had a field day with his arms, something he usually tried to avoid as it was harder to hide. Luckily for Nico, it was winter so he could get away with wearing long-sleeves without any second looks.

He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. He quieted his mind and only focused on the sound of the water running in the shower. He got in when the water ran warm. He carefully started to scrub the dried blood off his arms and the cuts he had made could finally be seen. There was about four or five on each arm, and only one of them was very deep. He sighed softly as one of them started bleeding. He would have to bandage that before going out to breakfast. What would Will think of him if he saw him like this? Tears started running down Nico's face as he continued to let hot water rain down on him.

* * *

Nico emerged from his cabin fifteen minutes later and made his way down to the dining pavilion. He quietly entered to see that most of the camp was already seated and eating. Everyone except a certain son of Apollo. What Nico did see was Lou Ellen, Cecil, and Kayla, Will's best friends, give him a glaring look and turn back to their food, continuing their conversation in whispered tones. He set his jaw as he slid into the seat next to Jason at the table. Jason looked at him and gestured with his fork to the three who had given him the evil eye.

"What was that about?"

"Don't ask me. I have no idea." Nico paused for a moment and considered the empty seats at the table. "Where's everyone else?"

"Still waking up I guess. I know Annabeth, Reyna, and Percy are talking to Chiron about tonight in the Big House."

"Oh, okay." Nico stared down at his plate and a single piece of toast appeared. The thought of food made Nico sick. He didn't deserve to eat. Not when he had destroyed one of the few people who cared about him. He pushed the toast around on the plate for a minute before he realized Jason was talking to him.

"Nico? Hello?" The son of Hades glanced back up at him. "Is that all you're eating?"

Nico opened his mouth to make up some sort of excuse when he was interrupted. "Nico!" He looked around to see Hazel and Frank walking up to the pavilion. Leo and Calypso followed. Nico grudgingly got up to accept a hug from his sister. "Where were you yesterday? Why didn't you welcome us?"

"I was training and once I got back to the cabin, I fell asleep. I'm sorry." Nico apologized as he released his sister.

"I came to the cabin, but the door was locked and I couldn't get in. I tried knocking, but you didn't wake up. Jason walked past while I was trying to get in and told me to let you sleep. I slept in the Big House." Hazel's eyes sparkled with concern. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I must have locked the door out of habit last night," Jason raised his eyebrow at the obvious lie but said nothing. "I didn't see you, so I forgot you guys were here. I'm sorry I missed you. I was just exhausted."

"Why are you so tired?"

"I've been training a lot the past couple of weeks. And I needed to get a lot of sleep for the Solstice tonight."

"As long as you're sure you're okay," she turned back to Frank.

Jason pulled him aside, away from the crowd. He grabbed Nico's wrist, starting to push up his sleeve. Nico snatched his hand away.

"Let go of me." Jason's eyes filled with disappointment.

"I thought I talked you out of it. You should go talk to Will. Does he know?"

"He doesn't need to know everything about me and what I do 24/7!" Nico said angrily. Rage was rolling off the son of Hades. Jason took a step back. He took a deep breath and calmed himself down. "Sorry."

"What's going on?" Hazel asked, walking up, muscles tense as she picked up on Nico's anger.

"I'm-"

"Hey guys!" Percy Jackson came running up, saving Nico from responding. "Am I interrupting?" He noticed the tension in the way Nico, Hazel, Jason and Frank were standing. He glanced at Nico's wrists, where the bandage was still visibly and locked his gaze with Nico's.

"Everything's fine," Nico snipped. "What's up?"

Percy raised an eyebrow but ignored Nico's short tone. "Chiron wants to see us all to discuss what's going on tonight."

"Alright, let's go," Jason directed. As he passed Nico, he muttered. "We will talk about this later." Nico slumped as he followed the rest of the group to the Big House.

* * *

Most of the other head counselors were already in their seats when Nico walked in. His eyes automatically searched for Will. He cursed under his breath, reprimanding himself. He wasn't supposed to care about Will anymore. Wasn't supposed to care that Will's chair was vacant. He sat down in a chair next to Percy and put his head in his hands.

"Rough night bud?" Percy asked.

"You could say that." Silence fell between the two as the other campers started seating themselves. Percy broke it.

"Well, at any rate, I'm happy to see you."

Nico emerged from his hands and stretched out his hand to shake Percy's. "Happy to see you too."

He leaned back in his chair and surveyed everyone in the room. Reyna was sitting with perfect posture next to Chiron's spot. She nodded at Nico, who didn't respond at all. She narrowed her eyes at Nico, asking him what was wrong.

Nico broke eye contact, sliding to Clarisse, who was cleaning her nails with a knife. Frank, next to her, scooted closer to Hazel who was fidgeting with a ruby that she had in her hand. Leo was tinkering with metal parts in his hand while Calypso watched him. Connor and Travis Stoll were pouring over a piece of paper, most likely planning their next prank. There was an empty seat between Travis and Piper that Nico knew was reserved for Will. Nico usually sat by him, but he had chosen to sit somewhere else. Piper was discussing something with Jason who was looking at Nico concerned. Nico turned away and looked back over to Percy who was on his right. He was still looking at him as well. Annabeth was sitting on Percy's other side and next to Chiron's chair.

"Hey," Nico looked up at Percy as he spoke. "Are you sure you're okay? You seem upset."

"I'm fine, Jackson. At any rate, there are more important things to discuss." Nico nodded toward Chiron who entered the rec room. He held up a hand and everyone fell silent.

"Good morning everyone. Today is going to be a hectic day and we need to make arrangements for tonight." Chiron looked around at the table. "Before we get started, we seem to be missing someone. Where is Will?" He looked toward Nico. Nico shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't know. I don't keep tabs on him." He stated, not allowing emotion to fill his voice.

"We need to locate him, because we cannot afford to go to the solstice without one of our best. Has anyone seen-" The door swung open. Nico's heart jumped thinking it was Will. It was Kayla.

"I'm sorry. Will got wrapped up with a situation with our cabin." She said breathlessly.

"Is everything under control? Is everyone okay?" Chiron questioned.

"Yeah, everyone's fine. He's handling it," she glanced at Nico, who could see the rage beneath her calm. "He will be fine for tonight. He just needed me to sit in on the meeting for him, if that's okay."

"Yes, yes. We need to get started so take your seat." She sat next to Piper, glaring at Nico again.

"As you all know, we cannot bring the entire camp because that would overwhelm Olympus. So, I've called forth demigods with the most experience with the gods and number of quests, as well as campers from Camp Jupiter in order to represent the Romans. You all are the best of the best and I expect you to remain poised and professional while on Olympus. There will be no time for pranks," he looked pointedly at the Stoll Brothers. "Or personal drama." He glanced between Kayla and Nico. Yup, he knew something was up. "You are representing both Greek and Roman demigods and I expect your best behavior. If not, you will pay the consequences. In chores." Everyone groaned. The campers really hated getting extra chores. "Now that that is understood, let's discuss what's going to happen tonight..."

* * *

The meeting lasted two hours, prolonged by the Stoll's asking what qualified as a prank, giving examples. Chiron got very frustrated after a while, threatening to revoke their right to go and they eventually stopped. Chiron wrapped up the meeting and dismissed everyone.

Nico made a beeline for the door, sidestepping Percy and Jason, who he did not wish to speak to at the moment. He heard them call out his name but he was already out the door and into the grassy commons. He nodded at Hestia who was unnoticed, tending to the flames. He shoved his hands into his pockets, and looked at the ground as he made his way back to his cabin. He was irritated that the meeting had taken so long and was sick of all the glances he had gotten from Kayla, Jason, and Percy. He was so entrapped in his thoughts that he ran headfirst into someone. He reeled back and fell on his butt.

"Watch where you're-" Nico's voice cut off as he saw who he ran into. "Solace."

Will, who was reaching his hand out to help him up, stopped. "Di Angelo." Nico pushed himself up, and stole a glance into Will's eyes. They were bloodshot and he looked like he hadn't slept at all. Nico had effectively destroyed him. And destroyed himself in the process.

"I- I'll see you tonight at the Solstice."

"Yeah. Make sure you keep those bandages clean." Will suggested, not meeting Nico's eyes. Nico glanced down at his arms, noticing that his shirt sleeves had been pushed up when he had fallen.

"I-I-" Nico stammered as he slowly backed up.

He turned away and quickened his pace to his cabin. He took one final glance back to see Will, standing there hopelessly, tears rolling down his face. He tried to shake the image from his mind, but it quickly imprinted there and all Nico saw was the devastation on his ex-boyfriend's face. He arrived at his cabin and slammed the door behind him. He stumbled to his bed and buried himself in the covers, tears running down his face. What had he done?

* * *

Jason's POV:

Something was wrong with Nico di Angelo. And he was going to get to the bottom of it. As were Percy and Reyna who were following close behind him as he made his way to the Hades cabin. His was so intent on making it to Nico that he almost missed Reyna grabbing his arm.

"Jason, stop!" He stopped and looked back at Reyna. She nodded over to the left. He followed her gesture and noticed a certain son of Apollo sitting by the fire with a young girl. They were talking quietly. Jason silently approached.

"Will?"

The blond son of Apollo whipped his head around. He sniffled and wiped at his face as he stood. Jason could see that he had been crying. "Jason, hi, hey." He shook his hand. "I'm so sorry I missed the meeting, some... family stuff came up."

Jason narrowed his eyes at the lie. He nodded at the girl who was there, and she got up and disappeared. He sat Will down. "Why don't you tell me what's really going on? Because I know it's not that."

"I-I. It's complicated." _That's how he was going to play at it._

"I see. Have you talked to anyone about what's going on? Have you spoken to Nico?"

Will uncomfortably shifted when Nico's name was mentioned. _The root of the problem_. "I've talked to my friends about it. I'm fine."

"You aren't fine, I can obviously see that. Are you and Nico fighting?"

Will cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, but that is none of your business."

"It is all of our business. We care about him and his wellbeing." Reyna pipped up.

"And he hurt himself last night!" Percy revealed. "Was it because of you?"

"Percy!" Jason warned, but the damage was already done. He glanced at Reyna's whose eyes shone with understanding.

"Oh, Reyna, this wasn't how you were supposed to find out…" Jason started.

"I made assumptions. After what he has faced- after sharing and lending him my strength… after experiencing his hardships- I figured, but I didn't want to be right," she looked at Jason steadily. "But I am right?"

"We will talk about it later." Jason reassured, looking back at Will.

The news seemed to disappoint Will at first, but then hurt filled his eyes. "Well, that doesn't matter to me."

Disbelief spread across Jason's face and he was about to comment, but Reyna beat him to it.

"How dare you! Nico loves you! He trusts you! And you throw that all away!" She looked about ready to jump on the son of Apollo, but Percy held her back.

"How dare I? How dare I? I don't have to explain myself. Especially to you guys. I've been wronged and you guys are acting like this is my fault! And maybe it is, I don't know, but I am not explaining myself to you." That was the most emotion Jason had ever seen Will display. He was usually a calm, collected guy. What had happened that had gotten him so frazzled? Will stood up angrily, throwing a goodbye over his shoulder.

"What on earth happened between those two?" Percy asked, in shock over Will's reaction.

"I have no idea, but I intend to find out."

"So, it's true. Nico cuts himself?" Reyna asked.

Jason glared at Percy. "Yes, but it's not really our place to talk about."

Reyna laughed bitterly. "And you think Nico will? You don't know him as well as I thought you did."

Percy looked sheepishly at Jason. "I assumed Reyna knew. I thought you and Nico were closer than that."

"Nico didn't tell anyone, willingly. Will found out when he was healing him. I found out- I found Nico hurting himself once and had to stop him. Percy found out because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I don't think Nico has ever admitted that he does self-harm. Everyone who knows found out by accident."

"How long has he been doing it?" Jason shook his head at Reyna's question.

"Since before I knew him," was his response.

Reyna's eyes were filled with sadness. "I need to go talk to him."

Jason grabbed her arm before she went racing down the hill. "No, no. Nico is trying to isolate himself as it is. If he finds out that Percy or I told you, he would completely lose his trust in us and cut us off as friends."

"I can't just stand on the sidelines as he mutilates himself!"

"We are going to look out for him." Percy reassured.

"Because you've done so well at that the past couple months!" Reyna retorted.

"Enough. We all had responsibilities to fulfill. Will reassured that Nico was fine and had everything handled. But, I think Nico lied to him." Jason explained. He put his hand on her shoulder. "You have to give him the time to tell you on his own."

"Do you think he will?" She asked, quietly.

"It might take some time, but yes. I do think he will confide in you. He just needs time."

Reyna nodded. "I understand. You just have to promise to keep me in the loop about what's happening."

"And I am about to find out what is happening with Nico and Will." He marched down the hill back to the Big House.

"Why aren't we going to Nico?" Percy asked. Jason gave him a pointed look.

"Will didn't open up, you really think Nico would? And he skirted all my questions this morning. We are going to someone who I think will have some answers." He forced his way through the house until he arrived at the infirmary. The door slammed open and Kayla jumped at the loud bang. She was the only one in the infirmary. The door shut behind Percy as he was the last one to enter. Reyna looked at Kayla.

"What in Hades name happened to Nico and Will? Because if I'm not mistaken, they were fine two days ago."

"I thought he would have gotten you guys on his side." Kayla said, questioningly.

"Side?"

"Nico hasn't, and will continue not to tell us anything. We are not taking any sides. We want what's best for both of them." Jason calmly stated.

"Nico broke up with Will." Kayla revealed.

"What?-"

"You're kidding?!-"

"What was his reason?-" they all said at the same time.

"He didn't really give a clear one. Let me start at the beginning. Two days ago, Will got home in the middle of the night. He went to go check on Nico and he found him all beat up and bruised. Nico said that someone had attacked him, but he didn't say who.

"Will healed Nico, and in the process, knocked himself out. When Nico woke the next morning, he rushed Will to the infirmary to heal. He stayed with him all day until he and I had a little conversation. I said some things I regret and those things might have led to him breaking up with Nico. Anyway, I was scared… about how Nico was feeling. So I sent Jason after him."

"I could tell he wasn't okay especially since I defeated him so easily in our duel-"

"Wait, you dueled him? When he was in that state?!" Kayla exclaimed.

Jason turned red, and guilt crept into his system. "I- I wasn't going to hurt him. And he wasn't talking to me or anything. I had to engage him. Anyway, the point is he was really upset and I eventually took him back to his cabin. I thought he was going to cut himself, but he didn't have any cuts on his wrists so I thought he had stopped-"

"We might want to watch what we talk about in-" Kayla's eyes slid over to Reyna and Percy. "-present company."

Jason waved her concern off. "They already know. Percy found out a while ago, and he dropped the ball with Reyna."

"I'm sorry," Percy bemoaned.

"I had already suspected, Percy. You just confirmed my suspicions." Reyna said.

"At any rate, the reason he didn't have cuts on his wrist is because Will had healed him that morning. I don't think Nico has ever stopped cutting himself." Kayla admitted. "Will asked me to watch him while he was away finishing school at his mother's. I tried. I really did. But, eventually things got really hectic and I wasn't able to check on him every day and he started disappearing for days. Will made it my responsibility to make sure he was okay and stayed safe and didn't cut and I failed to do that. His progress completely disappeared. This is all on me." Kayla stated, tears filling her eyes.

"This is not just on you, Kayla." Jason reassured. "Nico has a tendency to disappear so Will shouldn't have expected you to know where he is 24/7. At any rate, we have all been friends with Nico for way longer and none of us noticed his condition deteriorating. We all were not here for him. This is on us too. We are his friends and we neglected to be there for him. I promise that we are going to change that." Jason declared. The room fell silent before Kayla continued with her story.

"After Nico went back to his cabin, he eventually came back to the infirmary. Will had woken up and he was blaming me for Nico getting so terrible. He really got so much worse. And Nico came in as we were talking about him and heard some pretty terrible things we said about him. He started yelling at Will and Will started yelling back so I left. I came back after about ten minutes and found Will sobbing on the floor. He explained that Nico broke up with him and said that he didn't love him anymore and that he didn't need him to protect him and that he thought Will was pathetic."

"That doesn't really sound like Nico. Except for the whole protecting thing, because he does have an issue with that." Jason analyzed.

"Are we sure it's not just a self-depreciating thing? Because we all know that he is his worst enemy." Percy asked.

"Will said that he said he wasn't, but I'm guessing that that has a lot to do with it." Kayla said.

"But this kid, even if that is it, broke my brother's heart and I'm not too happy with him. It took me, Lou Ellen, and Cecil a good two hours to calm him down and get him into bed. He slept all through the meeting, that's why I came."

"I'm not too happy with him either. He handled this poorly and I'm upset that he didn't let any of us know that he was hurting himself. We can help him!" Reyna was agitated.

"That's part of the problem though." Jason stated. "He doesn't want any help. He's pushing everyone away who tries to help him. I think a combination of him hating on himself, Will being a helicopter, and the confrontations he had with Kayla and Will are what led to the breakup. We understand why we think they broke up. Now we need to talk to him, make sure he and Will are okay first off, and try to get them to talk to each other because I hate seeing them so upset. It's destroying them."

"I know, me too. Will is upset with Nico, but he is going to fight for him and is ready to fight to get him back. Lou Ellen, Cecil, and I tried to convince him not to because Nico broke his heart, but he was adamant. We at least convinced him to give Nico a little bit of space before he tries to talk to him," Kayla mentioned.

"That was probably wise. Nico might panic if faced with too many confrontations at once. We should go check on him. He was really upset this morning and we don't want him to hurt himself again." Jason said.

"Yeah, that might be wise. Who knows what he could do to himself when he's this upset." Kayla said. They all exchanged worried glances before the trio exited the infirmary.

* * *

Nico's POV:

The door creaking open woke Nico. He was having a really nice nap too before he was so rudely awakened. He heard mumbled voices before Reyna's rang out.

"Nico?" He stayed silent, knowing he would be in for a lecture if he said anything. He heard footsteps approach, felt a hand touch and examine his wrist and the figure retreated back to the door. "He's asleep."

"He said he slept all through the night. I don't believe that for a minute. He's dead on his feet." Jason murmured. "He's lacking sleep and food."

"He hasn't eaten at all today? Should we wake him?" Percy's voice.

"No, he needs time to rest before tonight and to heal. He needs to be presentable in front of the gods. How bad were his wrists?" Jason asked.

"They are healed except for a few cuts on each wrist. But remember, Will had just healed him." Reyna reported.

Nico's heart stopped. Reyna wasn't supposed to know about his self-harm. That meant that Percy and/or Jason had told her. He felt betrayed; he couldn't trust anyone anymore.

"Well, hopefully ,we can talk to Will or another Apollo kid and get him checked out. Make sure they are healing nicely." Percy's voice suggested.

"He will let that happen, but we can hope." Jason pointed out. They were silent for a few minutes.

"We should let him sleep. Should we send Hazel in here to watch over him? Make sure he doesn't do anything?" Reyna asked _. So they are trying to put surveillance on me now huh?_ Nico thought.

"Hazel would ask why, and we dont need to let another person know about his self-harm-"

"How many times do I need to apologize?" Percy moaned.

"It's not us you need to apologize to, Perce," Jason reminded.

"I already told you that I suspected-" Reyna stated. "Let's just leave him be for now. We'll send someone to check on him every hour or so. Make sure he's asleep or be with him when he wakes."

Nico heard mumbles of agreement before the door closed with a squeak. Nico was left alone. He rubbed at his eyes, stopping the tears that were threatening to come. He wanted to open up, but that would make him weak. He didn't need help. He didn't need friends. He especially didn't need friends who told his secrets. He needed to be alone. He turned over and tried to fall back asleep.


	7. Chapter 7: Connection

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses the themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

 _Whack!_ The sound resonated around the arena as Will's hand came into contact with one of Clarisse's many punching bags. She had personally installed them once she found out that there were none in the arena when she first came many years ago. He had never felt the need to use it until this point. He was mad. No, he was beyond mad. He was pissed. Pissed at the world. Pissed at Cupid and Aphrodite. Pissed at Nico's inability to not be self-depreciating. But, above all, he was pissed at himself. Pissed that he couldn't help Nico stop self-harming. Pissed at himself for letting Nico get so bad. Pissed that he wasn't good enough for Nico. Or that he wasn't a good enough healer.

At that final thought, he hit the bag hard, feeling the skin on his knuckles break. He felt the blood run down his arm, but he ignored it, focusing all his anger into these punches. Deep down, he knew that he was more upset and depressed than angry. The punching might not accomplish anything, besides giving him bloody hands, but expending energy made him feel better.

He wasn't mad that Nico had broken up with him. He was angry with himself and his own inadequacy which had forced Nico to break up with him. But he was determined to win him back. He wasn't going to lose the person he loved. Anger toward himself surged through him and he aimed one more hard punch. The bag went flying off its stand and hit the wall, the binding splitting. Clarisse was going to kill him.

"Demigods underestimate their strength and power when they are angry." Will whipped around to see Calypso scrutinizing what he had done to the punching bag.

"Ah, Calypso," his hand went to the back of his neck as it usually did went he was nervous. "I didn't realize you were in here." He noticed the blood on his hands and quickly hid them in his pockets, but Calypso had already seen them.

"Now the question is, what made you so angry? That you punched so hard to the point of pain?"

"I- I just got a lot on my mind right now." He grabbed a towel, wiping the blood off his hands. He hissed at the pain.

"You should get those looked at." She suggested, sitting on a hay bale used for feeding the pegasi and filling for the training dummies.

"I'm looking at them, I'm a healer." He said shortly, as he wrapped bandages around them. He didn't eat ambrosia, forcing himself to feel the pain. "Look, I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here? Why do you care about what's happening to me? You don't even know me."

"I know and have seen what it's like to have a broken heart. I want to offer you my services. As for me being in the arena, I was about to have a sword lesson. I need to know how to defend myself, especially around whatever Leo gets us into." She was trying to lighten the mood, but he wasn't having it.

"How do you know I have a broken heart? Maybe I'm angry at someone."

"Because I have experienced lost loves one too many times and the way you're reacting is a way that I have reacted before. Some advice: it doesn't help. Do you feel any better?" The truth was that he now felt drained, even more upset, and in pain, but he refused to admit that. "My point exactly. Anger is one of the worse ways to deal with a broken heart. Especially anger at oneself."

"How do you know I'm angry at myself?" He questioned. Could she read his mind, or was she just really intuitive?

"The blood on your hands is proof enough of that. And no, I'm not a mind-reader." Creepy. Will was even less convinced now. "I just have a lot of experience with losing loved one as I have said. Please sit down and I will tell you a story." He hesitantly sat down next to her. "And hopefully give you helpful advice."

"What story?"

"My own." Will had heard of myths about Calypso's tale but was interested to know the real story. "Many years ago, in the First Titan War, although I did not agree with him, I sided with my father, Atlas. This angered the Olympian gods and they banished me to Ogygia and cursed me, punishing me for my father's crimes. I was trapped upon Ogygia under a terrible curse. The curse was that heroes, even so often, would wash ashore my beach, injured. It would be my duty to heal them, and in that time, I always fell in love with. They always sent a person I couldn't help but fall in love with. A hero who could never stay and always had loved ones back home.

"For a short time, while the heroes stayed, I experienced joy and love. But once they went back to their lives, their lives, I was left alone, my heart broken. I was angry with the gods, the heroes who left, and myself. I was upset that I was left alone, depressed by my isolation. Every bad feeling, I experienced. Although it was a curse, I always blamed myself for not being intelligent enough, or gorgeous enough. I tried to let go and realize that being angry with myself or the gods accomplished nothing. It worked for a while and I found peace and tranquillity in myself and on my island.

"But then, a nuisance known as Leo Valdez came to my home. I was deeply angered with the gods and him at first. I refused to talk to him, refused to let myself fall in love with him. I was angry that I was falling in love with him. But, I let myself go. I fell hopelessly, deeply in love with him. Then, he was called back to help his friends. He promised he would come back. And I finally let that anger go and allowed myself to hope.

"Hope is a strange thing. It gives us the power to persevere and remain optimistic even in the face of tragedy and hardship. I allowed myself to hope and I was rewarded. Leo came back for me. I was finally reunited with someone I loved. Someone, though as hard I tried to hate him, who actually fought for me and continues to shower me with love and devotion. The morals of this story, son of Apollo, is to let go of your anger. It will accomplish nothing. Embrace that hope. Do not lose faith. Fight for your love. If you remain optimistic, you can accomplish anything, even winning back a lost love."

They were silent. That had been some powerful advice, Will had to give her that. So powerful, it had rendered him speechless. The silence and awe were interrupted by a group of campers entering for sword-fighting lessons. The two sitting hastily stood up.

"I- thank you so much Calypso. Thank you for being so trusting and opening up and telling me your story. It really opened my eyes."

"My pleasure. I'm here for you, even if we barely know each other. Any friend of Leo's is a friend of mine." Her smiled dazzled the arena.

"That advice, wow. I think I know what I need to do." Will was already planning out what he needed to say in his mind. "Thank you, thank you so much."

He raised his hand in farewell as he headed toward the doors of the arena. He avoided eye contact with Clarisse who had noticed her broken bag. He bumped into Leo on his way out, muttered an apology, and continued to dash off.

* * *

Nico's POV:

He trudged to the camp boundary, looking to see if anyone else was coming. He grumbled as he knelt down in the grass, conserving strength. He had missed all his meals throughout the day, as he had been asleep the whole time. He had slept for hours and was really irritated, which is why he usually didn't nap during the day.

It was already 5 o'clock and the Solstice started at 7. He didn't know how long the van took to get into the city, but he bet that traffic would be terrible. It would just be so easy for him to shadow-jump, but he had "doctor's orders" that he wasn't allowed to. _Although_ he thought _we aren't dating anymore_ \- which sent a pain through his heart- _so that means that he can't boss me around anymore. I can do whatever I want!_ Nico thought about this new-found freedom. But at what cost had he gotten it? The cost of losing someone he loves? His train of thought was interrupted.

"Nico?" Jason was eyeing him suspiciously. "Are you okay?"

He shook his thought away as he stood, ignoring Jason's outstretched hand. "Fine. Are we ready to go?" _The sooner we go, the faster we can get back home and the faster I can leave._

"Yeah, I think everyone is ready." Jason looked around at the gathered demigods. Nico only noticed one missing. But he refused to acknowledge who it was.

"Is Argus driving?" Nico asked Jason.

"Yeah. He is driving one of the vans. Reyna is driving the other one." Jason answered.

Nico barely stopped himself from scoffing at the mention of Reyna. He wasn't mad at the praetor. Only at his friends for betraying his trust.

"Can you please tell me what is going on?" Jason asked. Nico raised his eyes to look at Jason. His face was one of concern. "Because I can tell you are upset. You were yesterday when we were training. And I know that you hurt yourself last night-"

"So you decided to share that information with Reyna?" Nico could barely stop himself from bursting out.

Jason's face when red with shame. "You were awake for that?"

"You should be careful when talking behind people's back and sharing their secrets. You never know who could be listening," Nico said, scathingly. Jason had enough sense to stay silent. "I don't suppose you told my sister too. As you threatened to do that yesterday."

Jason's eyes went wide. "Nico, I would never-"

"You told Reyna, what's stopping you from telling the rest of the camp?" Nico questioned. He continued before Jason could open his mouth. "Who else have you talked to about me? Will? Did he tell you all about our break-up?"

He carefully watched Jason's reaction. It didn't waver. So he did know about the break-up. "Wait, you guys-?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know what I am talking about. I watched your reaction. You talked to Will. He probably got you on his side too."

"I'm not- I will support you no matter what, Nico," Jason tried to reassure, but Nico wasn't having it.

"That's why you told Reyna, right?" Nico asked. Jason was silent. "Go away, Jason. I don't want to talk to you."

Jason tried to speak, but Nico walked away from him. He isolated himself from the group, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone. He looked around to see who was near. He noticed Will Solace arriving. He joined the group and started talking with Kayla and Jason? Betrayed for the second time in one day.

So be it. Nico didn't need him, or anyone else. He just needed himself and that was it. He wanted to protect the people he cared about, but just being around him caused harm to those people. Thus calling for his desire for isolation. As he pondered this as he watched the campers start setting up to get into the van to go into the city.

Jason and Percy were standing right next to each other, at the head of the group. They both tried to speak at the same time.

"Campers-"

"Hey everyone-" their faces both turned red. Jason and Percy, unintentionally, always fought for who was the unofficial 'leader' of quests or activities. They both gestured for the other to continue. Jason was insisting that Percy go since this was his camp. Annabeth rolled her eyes and pushed herself to the front, taking charge.

"Alright, is everyone ready to go to Mount Olympus?" There was a muttering of affirmations from everyone. "Now, before we go, Chiron, who will not be joining us, wanted me to go over some ground rules. The most important one is to be on your best behavior and be professional. So, let's pack up the van and get ready to go. We are late as it is." Annabeth finished.

The demigods started moving toward the vans. Nico tried to pick the van that was furthest away from Will, but he was jostled into the second van. He moved to the back of the van, to the window seat. Jason smushed right in next to him. Traitor. Consorting with the enemy. And of course, Will sat right next to Jason.

Nico shifted and looked away, trying to avoid eye contact with the son of Apollo, but he couldn't seem to look away. As always, he was drawn to Will's infectious personality and drawing aura. He glanced over to see that Will's leg was bouncing up and down, hands fidgeting. He noticed bandages on Will's hands. Was he taking up his old habits again? He shook that thought away as there was nothing he could do about it.

The bandaged hands were messing with the bracelets on his wrists. Nico had learned to read his boyfri- ex-boyfriend. And he was nervous. Nico expected him to be upset. And when he was upset, Will remained still and zoned out, trapped in his own thoughts. But, he appeared to be anxious about something. What? Seeing his father for the first time in years? (If his father was even there. The sun god's fate was unknown after Zeus blamed him for the war) He turned away as he noticed Will looking back at him.

He glanced at the other five demigods in the van with them. Reyna was driving, with Annabeth in the passenger seat. Percy was in between Connor and Travis Stoll and he appeared to be want to be anywhere but between the bickering brothers. Nico knew there were fifteen total demigods coming. Hazel, Frank, Leo, Piper, Clarisse, Pollux, and Miranda Gardiner (both who had missed the meeting as they had arrived at camp later in the day) were in the other van with Argus driving. Even though a lot of emphasis had been placed on including lesser-known and minor gods, the Winter Solstice still focused on the Twelve Main Olympians, so the campers who came represented most of the Twelve Olympians as well as their Roman counterparts.

"So what's this whole shindig even about?" Travis voiced Nico's thoughts. He hadn't paid any attention to what Annabeth or Chiron had been repeating for the last couple of days.

"Have you been listening at all to Chiron? He's gone on and on about it." Annabeth asked, exasperated.

The brothers looked at each other. "Do you want the truth?" Travis asked.

"I just want you guys to pay attention. We've repeated it over and over."

"Well repeat it once more, for good measure," Connor suggested.

Annabeth sighed as she launched into a spiel. "This Winter Solstice is about the gods finally recognizing the success of the Seven in completing our quest and our assistance in defeating Gaea at the Feast of Spes-"

Percy interrupted her, "But it's mostly about celebrating the gods for their participation in defeating the Giants. We are there to glorify their victory. It wouldn't have been possible without the demigods, but the gods claimed responsibility for the victory."

"You win and lose some, eh?" Travis joked.

"Exactly, but, we did get invited so we need to be gracious and respectful to the gods. Enjoy the celebration, even if it isn't about us, but no tomfoolery or senseless drama." Annabeth looked between him and Will. Nico guessed they were pretty obvious about their break-up. Silence fell over the van as Annabeth's comment revealed to those that didn't know that the two were spilt up.

"Well, this is awkward. Have you guys ever heard the joke about the demigod and monster who walked into a bar?" Connor asked.

"Really?" Travis looked at his brother with an incredulous look.

"What? I'm just trying to lessen the tension that is palpable in this car."

"That's a big word for you. Did you strain your brain thinking of it?"

"You're so original, did it hurt your brain thinking of that zinger?" Connor said sarcastically.

"You are so annoying."

"Your mom's so annoying."

"We have the same mother!"

"Oh, she didn't tell you? You're adopted."

"Haha, you are so-"

"Boys!" Annabeth shouted. "There is no need for this. Both of you quiet down, or else one, maybe even both of you are waiting in the van during the Solstice. Do you really want to embarrass yourselves like that in front of your father?" Neither of them answered. "Hello?"

"You told us to quiet down, we were just doing what you told us." Connor defended.

" _Di Immortales_!" She cursed. "Reyna, how much longer?"

"Patience is key to good leadership." She stated calmly, weaving her way through New York traffic. "As well as order and discipline."

"As you can see, we do things a bit differently on the Greek side." Percy pointed out.

"Order and discipline are not included in some campers' vocabulary." Annabeth shot a withering look back at the Stoll's. Nico prayed they would get to the Empire State Building before someone got thrown into the midst of evening traffic.

* * *

Will's POV:

That had been one of the most uncomfortable car rides that Will had ever had in his life. He could tell Nico was looking at him the whole time and the Stoll's kept making comments about the tension in the van. If the camp didn't know yet, they would know about the break-up now because of these two loudmouths. Also, Jason has been giving him strange looks the whole time, practically begging to know if his plan was going well. He had it under control. He just hoped that Nico would understand and actually listen to him.

The huge group walked into the Empire State Building lobby. Percy took the lead and walked straight to the security guard at the front desk, much to the dismay of the tourists waiting in line.

Will, who had inherited excellent hearing, listened to the conversation.

"Hey, six hundredth floor key card, thanks," Percy stated, leaning against the desk. The guard didn't even look up from his computer.

"No such floor-"

"Oh c'mon, you know me. You are literally here every time I request an audience with the gods."

"Lower your voice, kid."

"I'm going to keep talking about how Mount Olympus is on the six hundredth floor until I get the keycard. They literally invited us. Why are you being so difficult?"

"It's in the job description. Now, do you have a written invitation?"

"Oh for Zeus's sake, just give me the card!" Percy commanded.

"What's the magic word?"

"Please! We have a schedule to keep! And a party to get to." Will glanced at his phone. It was already 6:55. They couldn't be late. Imagine the impression that would have on the gods.

The guard handed over the keycard. "All I ask is some manners and a little gratitude. Is that so much?" Percy snatched the card away.

"Thanks so much!" He said sarcastically. He rejoined the group. "Let's roll out. Two groups in two elevators."

They slipped past the long lines and groups to get into the elevators. The guests complained, but security let them through.

"Maybe you should let me handle negotiations next time, yeah?" Annabeth suggested.

Percy rolled his eyes as they all got into the elevator. On the speakers, 'Want You Back' by the Jackson 5 was blaring. Will tried not to look at Nico, who had gotten pushed into the same elevator and looked miserable about it. Connor and Travis seemed to notice what song was on.

"So, lovely weather we're having, huh Connor?"

"I would say so, Travis. Cold and bitter, just like the atmosphere in this elevator."

"Knock it off you two," Annabeth ordered. She looked at Will and Nico. "If you guys can't forget about your personal drama while we are here, then I'm going to have to ask you both to wait in the lobby."

"I'm not even doing anything." Will and Nico said in-sync. They gained eye contact with each other and broke it simultaneously.

"At any rate, we can't have any hurt feelings get in the way of our interactions with the gods." Reyna assessed, glaring daggers at Will. Will guess she blamed him for hurting Nico even though Nico had been the one to break up with him. "Please be poised and professional. I want to make a good impression."

"So please get over yourselves, and you can solve all this later." Annabeth finished.

"Annabeth," Percy warned. "There's no need to be so harsh. They know how to act."

"Some of us do," Nico muttered, arms crossed defensively over his chest. He was brooding, which didn't shock Will.

"And that's the kind of attitude we don't need right now."

"Annabeth, leave him be. He's not the one causing the problems." Reyna said, still glaring at Will.

"Hey, that's enough. All of you." Percy was firm. "There is no need for any of this. Please, let's just try to enjoy the celebration." The elevator fell silent except for the Jackson 5.

Will took the remaining minutes in the elevator to actually look at Nico. He was dressed in his usual black attire: black skinny jeans, black converse, a black skull t-shirt under a black jacket. He had yet to get a new aviator jacket as it had been destroyed during his quest. Will had one all wrapped in a box back in his cabin to give to Nico for Christmas, but if his plan didn't go through, it would all be for nothing.

He noticed the way Nico was holding himself. He looked defeated. And exhausted. He guessed that Nico hadn't slept much the previous night and judging from the way he was holding his arms, he had cut himself pretty badly last night. He was withdrawing into himself and trying to distance himself from everyone, Will gathered that much. And it was up to Will to make sure Nico didn't completely isolate himself. No easy feat.

He looked away from Nico and at the elevator doors. The elevator had stopped and the doors shuddered open. Will stared in awe at the majesty of Mount Olympus. Although he had been there before, every time he saw it, it took his breath away. A dryad blocked the view as she came to welcome them.

"Welcome heroes, to Mount Olympus. The Winter Solstice will begin shortly!"


	8. Chapter 8: Oncoming Storm

_Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed in this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Jason's POV:

The demigods were standing on a narrow stone walkway in the middle of the air. White marble steps wound up to a cloud in the sky, where Mount Olympus stood. Palaces spotted the mountainside and gardens surrounded the roads leading up to Olympus. Jason took it all in in awe. He looked back toward the dryad who was greeting them.

"Thank you for your welcome. We have a group behind us and then we can join the gods in the celebration." Jason informed. The dryad nodded and stepped closer to him.

"Excellent, the gods are anxious for your arrival," the dryad pulled him to the side. "Although this is a celebration for your triumphs, the gods still believe it was their doing for the victory. A positive is that they take responsibility for the problems created, rather than accusing you. The downside is that they assign blame for the whole war to Apollo, even though it wasn't completely his fault, so he will be absent from the Solstice. The gods are as temperamental as ever so tread carefully around them."

"Understood. I'm sorry to hear that Apollo will not be joining us this evening. But, we can still handle the rest of the gods. We have discussed proper etiquette." As he spoke, the elevator doors opened again, revealing the other group of demigods.

"Perfect!" Louder to the rest of the group, she said. "Heroes, follow me to the Solstice!" She began the trek to Olympus. The whole group looked toward Jason and as he began walking, they surged forward. Piper caught up with him.

"What were you discussing with the dryad when we came up?" She asked.

"About how we need to behave ourselves around the gods. No immature behavior. And how Apollo isn't going to be at the Solstice." Jason said.

"You might wanna let Will know. So he's not shocked when he doesn't see his father. Also, what's going on with Will and Nico?" She questioned.

"You mean you don't know?"

"Know what? Being a daughter of Aphrodite and just being observant shows me that something is going on between them. What happened?"

Jason looked around, but everyone else was trapped in their own conversations. "Nico broke up with Will."

Piper looked murderous. "What did Will do? If he hurt Nico..."

"It's okay, Piper. We talked to Will and he didn't do anything wrong and he's trying to get him back today." Jason reminded.

"Good, I'm happy to hear that Will wants to get him back. What happened that broke them up?"

Jason waved off the question. "Overprotection, that kind of thing. The usual with Nico. But, I don't really want to get into it. I- I have gotten into some trouble with Nico about talking about his problems with others."

Piper nodded, knowingly. "I understand."

They arrived at steps that led to a central courtyard. Percy stopped the group and began speaking. "Demigods, let's make a good impression and have some fun, okay?"

Affirmations rippled through the group. He smiled and lead the group up the steps to the throne room. Hera was standing at the entrance. The group kneeled. Percy was the first one to rise.

"Lady Hera."

She smiled. "Greetings my heroes and company! Welcome to the Winter Solstice!"

She spread her arms and, like in a scene in a movie, the throne room lit up. There were icicles hanging down from the ceiling with intricate designs etched into them. Confetti and a light snow were drifting slowly down from above. Sparkling lights appeared in the trees and wound around the columns. Huge tables of food and refreshments appeared out of nowhere in the courtyard and throne room. The Nine Muses began playing music.

"Enjoy the music and the refreshment. The Olympians will convene to meet and discuss recent events with you shortly." She stated, walking off to join her fellow Olympians. The demigods looked around excitedly and headed to the refreshments and the dance floor. He looked around and saw Nico standing off in a shadow to the side. Jason approached him.

"Hey."

Nico looked up, surprised that someone was actually talking to him. "Jason."

"Do you want to talk about-"

"No, believe it or not, I don't."

Jason sighed. "It would help if you did."

"It never has before, why would it help now?" Nico asked.

"That's not true, you've talked with me about how talking does help," Jason remembered.

"Okay, well the whole opening up, yeah, really not my thing." Nico snapped.

Jason considered his next words carefully. "You should tell Hazel about your self-harm too. I wouldn't tell her, but she does have a right to know. She's your sister-"

Nico's eyes were blazing when he looked at Jason. "The only person who had a right to know is me and me alone. I can take care of myself."

"Obviously you can't," Jason dared to say. Nico's anger intensified, but Jason pressed on. "Not if you are going to continue to cut yourself. We can take care of you. We can help you. We are here for you."

"Whose 'we'? Who else have you told?"

"I didn't tell anyone. But, we are here for you. Percy, Kayla, Reyna, and Will-" Jason realized too late his mistake.

"Yeah, well Will doesn't care about me, why do you think I broke up with him?" Nico was lying, Jason could see that much.

"Will loves you and cares about you!"

"Oh yeah, I suppose you would say that because you are in cahoots with him."

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw you talking to Kayla and Will earlier," Nico admitted. "After I told you about breaking up with him. After you told me that you would always be here for me. At least you think you are, but at the end of the day, everyone leaves me and everyone hurts me." Nico whispered the last part. "And I hurt everyone."

"No one is leaving you! And you isolating yourself is hurting us. Being with you is what makes us happy."

"Oh, so I AM hurting everyone? Good to know."

"Nico, that's not what I meant."

"I don't care. It's what you said. This is why I'm not a people person. This is a prime example of why I prefer to be alone. Goodbye Jason." Nico ended the conversation, walking away.

Jason felt guilty. Had he made things worse? He didn't understand how Will was ever able to get Nico to understand or listen, but he surely was impressed. He just hoped that Will could work his magic and make Nico understand how much he and everyone else cared about him. Otherwise, the consequences could be fatal. Jason heaved out a big sigh as he looked around at the surrounding demigods. All of them carried so much pain and so many emotions, why didn't they open up to each other more? He continued to survey the courtyard. At the steps to the throne room, he noticed Hera approaching.

"Attention heroes!" The music stopped as the goddess spoke. The demigods turned to face her. "The council is ready for you!"


	9. Chapter 9: The Storm

_Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed in this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

The other demigods moved toward the throne room as Hera beckoned for them to follow. He lagged toward the back of the group, trying to avoid being sucked into any conversations. Everyone was buzzing with excitement at the chance to see their parents. Nico could care less. He saw his father frequently as he had gone on many errands for him. He was his father's second-in-command, regardless of the fact that neither one wanted to admit it.

He noticed Will continually glancing over at him the entire time that they had been at the Solstice. Now he was looking concernedly around. Nico looked for who was missing. A huge personality was missing from his seat on the council. Apollo. Zeus still blamed Apollo for the war. Will looked upset that his father was absent. The group stopped as they reached Zeus's throne. As one, the demigods knelt.

"Father." Jason acknowledged.

"Yes, yes. Welcome to Olympus, demigods. Please rise." One by one, all the members of Camp Half-Blood and Jupiter rose. "The Twelve Olympians have already discussed vital information regarding what happened with the Giants, not too long ago and who deserves the punishment for it and reward for it..."

Nico zoned out as Zeus expounded on the failures of certain gods (all directed at Apollo) and the achievements of Olympus as a whole (aka himself). He observed all the gods present. Zeus was going on and on with his speech in his pinstriped suit and grey hair. Next to him, Poseidon was obviously not listening, messing around with his trident, looking at Percy. Next to Percy's dad was Hephaestus, tinkering with some metal contraception, hand lighting up every few seconds. Hermes was on his phone, appearing to be answering emails. Apollo's seat was noticeably empty. Dionysus appeared to be leaning on his hand, asleep. Ares was listening intently to Zeus about all of the destruction that he had caused. And at the end, Nico's own father sat. Hades nodded to Nico when he gained eye contact with his father. Nico nodded back and Hades continued to stare at him, boring holes into the back of his head.

Nico looked towards the other side of the room. Hera looked lovingly at Zeus and at her seven heroes. Nico guessed that she believed all the successes were due to her and her heroes, not anyone else. Demeter sat beside her, making a flower crown. Athena was one of the few paying attention to her father. Aphrodite was also staring right at Nico. He shifted uncomfortably and she started looking back and forth between him and Will. When Nico noticed what she was doing, she raised her eyebrows, like she was asking _what gives?_ Nico disregarded that and noticed a small girl tending to the hearth. The same girl he had seen at Camp Half-Blood. But it wasn't a girl at all. It was Hestia. The Twelfth Olympian. Eleven out of the twelve Olympians, all in the same place. So much power, so much history. He got chills just thinking about it. He looked back to Zeus who was finishing his spiel.

"... and that is why my dear wife, Hera, decided that it would be necessary to... reward the brave souls who helped us triumph. If the Seven from the prophecy and the two who transported the Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood please step forward." Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Leo, Hazel, Frank, Reyna, and Nico all stepped forward. "Heroes, you have shown great bravery throughout your trials and held your own against the Giants. Once again, you have aided in saving Olympus and protecting our world. For this, we recognize your valor and honor and would like to offer you gifts for your heroics. Jason Grace, please step forward." Jason stepped forward, kneeling before his father.

"Your reward has already been bestowed upon you by the Roman Senate," Zeus briefly changed to his Roman form, Jupiter. He changed back as he continued talking. "You will continue your duties as _Pontifex Maximus_ and continue maintaining relations between both Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-Blood."

"It has been and will continue to be my honor, father." Jason bowed his head and stood as Aphrodite spoke up.

"Piper McLean, my beautiful daughter!" Piper stepped forward and knelt before her mother. "Do you have any requests for your gift? Eternal beauty? To always be in love?" She asked. "Anyway, what do you request my daughter?"

Piper considered it for a few moments as she rose. " I need nothing and require nothing, Mother."

"Are you sure, my dear?" Aphrodite asked.

Piper laced hands with Jason. "I have everything I need." Piper and Jason moved back to stand with the other demigods. Annabeth was called forward next.

"Annabeth Chase," Athena said as Annabeth bowed before her. "My daughter, you have continued to achieve excellent things and continued to be an effective leader. For this, we will continue your position of head architect of Olympus as well as give you the task of restoring the damages done to Camp Half-Blood and Jupiter in recent years."

Annabeth looked stunned. "Thank, you mother!" Athena smiled cooly as Frank was called forward next.

"Frank Zhang, son of me, you were such a badass with all your military kicking-butting skills. As a reward, you will continue to fulfill your duties as praetor along with Reyna Ramirez-Arellano." As Ares was using Roman terminology, he flickered to his Mars form. "You both will serve as ambassadors between Roman and Greek camps and gods. Both of you are offspring of war gods/goddess, which gives you the needed leadership in battle. This leadership is also necessary for deciding whether to go to war or to negotiate the peace which will help both camps, both Greek and Roman flourish. Thank you for your continued service." Both Frank and Reyna bowed before the god of war. Hades cleared his throat so Hazel and Nico stepped forward. They both knelt in front of their father.

"My children, Hazel and Nico, have shown great bravery and valor and because of this I will extend Hazel's reward from the glacier on Alaska as well as appointing her ambassador to the Underworld as a spokesperson for the Romans. Nico will continue to serve as Ghost King and he will become my second-in-command. My lieutenant, daresay." Nico couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was his father kidding? He heard gasps from the surrounding campers and gods

"Now wait a minute..." Zeus started but Hades wasn't done.

"A promise that I think was promised to Percy Jackson during his Great Prophecy. Just without the immortality of course. Because you can serve me after your death of course." Hades chuckled to himself. Nico was speechless. Hades considered him. "Well, what do you have to say, my son. Do you accept?"

"Hold on a minute. Wait! Second-in-command? For a mere demigod? That's a huge responsibility." Zeus stated. He gestured at Nico. "Especially for a 12-year-old."

Anger shot through Nico. "I am not 12-" Hazel slapped her hand over his mouth.

"A responsibility that I'm sure he can handle." Hades pressed. The gods fell silent, considering.

"Why, though? He isn't even one of the Seven!" Hera bemoaned. _Not one of the seven my butt_ Nico thought, glaring at the goddess.

"And his history with mental illness..." Zeus pointed out. Nico's insides turned cold. He guessed that the gods did know everything, but was it necessary to point out his weakness in front of everyone?

"And what does that have to do with anything?" Hazel squeaked, almost as angry as Nico. "Does that, what put him at a disadvantage? Give everyone something to make fun of him for?!"

Nico felt a panic attack coming. "Hazel, stop." He said breathlessly.

"I am just saying if he can't handle himself, how is he expected to handle souls passing through the Underworld?" Zeus ridiculed. Nico took deep breaths. "Look, even now, he's panicking!"

Nico heard Will move forward as if to steady him, but Nico steeled himself. He was not about to get criticized by Zeus or have a panic attack in front of the gods.

"That's not fair!" Hazel spoke up.

"What's fair doesn't matter, Hazel. He doesn't think I'm able to handle the job. In my life, what's new?"

"Nico-"

"Enough! He did transport the Parthenos halfway across the globe, in a short amount of time." Athena reminded. "Without that statue, it would have been impossible to unite the two camps. If the _Argo ll_ had to transport the Parthenos, the demigods would not have been able to help us defeat the Giants. Mr. di Angelo here was just as vital to our triumph as any of the Seven. He deserves to be rewarded." Nico was surprised that Athena had defended him. Hades, apparently, was as well as he stared at the goddess, his mouth open. "And, so what if he has a history of mental illness? That's none of our business, rather business between him and his healer. And who wouldn't have nightmares or panic attacks after dealing with what he has dealt with." Athena finished. Hades still looked like he was in shock. He cleared his throat and looked back at Nico.

"Well, there you have it. Do you accept?"

Hazel nudged him, pushing him to make a decision. "I- what exactly does that entail? What are my responsibilities and-"

Hades lazily shooed off his questions. "We can discuss the specifics at a later time. And you can reach a decision at another time, in case you have anything you need to discuss with anyone else." His eyes flickered over to Will before settling back on Nico.

"I'm honored. I truly am. Thank you, father, for this opportunity!"

"Let's move on, shall we?" Hades said dismissively. Hazel and Nico rejoined the rest of the group.

"Second-in-command, oh my gods Nico, that's huge!" Hazel whispered as Hephaestus beckoned Leo forward next. "Are you going to accept?"

"I'm not sure yet." He looked around and found Will Solace's eyes on him. Their eyes locked and he saw fear in Will's eyes. Will was afraid of losing him. But, it was too late. He had already lost him. He turned back to see Leo bowing toward his father.

"Leo Valdez, you sure defied the odds, my boy." Hephaestus grinned. "Killing Gaea, dying, and coming back to life-"

"-Yeah, I didn't appreciate that one, thanks," Hades grumbled.

"-it's amazing. You were responsible for the death of Gaea. You deserve a hero's reward. Before I make an offer, do you have anything you would like to request?"

Leo's eyebrows furrowed as he thought. "Actually, yes. There is something I want."

"Name it, boy!"

"An apology."

"I beg your pardon." Hephaestus. "For-?"

Jason moved forward as if to stop Leo, but he was just getting started. "An apology from all the gods." He turned, looking at each other the gods. "An apology to Calypso." The request rang out in the silence of the throne room.

Hermes broke it. "Calypso. What about her?"

"What about her?" Leo's voice was angry. "What about her eternal punishment on that island? Were you actually planning to leave her stranded for forever? Isolated?"

Zeus looked stunned at the demigod's fiery attitude. "If I had any sense I would send her back to her island right now! She wronged us. She supported your father..."

"Eons ago! People, gods, goddess make mistakes! Calypso was blinded and supported her father because he was family. Can't you understand that?" Leo pleaded.

"No, I can't say I do, because I sliced my father into a thousand little pieces because he was in the wrong. She did not."

"Because he was family. At any rate, she should not be defined by her father's mistakes!"

"Yes true, but she was defined by her own mistakes. This reminds me of my dear son Apollo. He isn't defined by mistakes, as I haven't made any, but by his own reckless and foolish errors. That's why he is being punished." Artemis glared at her father as he made his declaration. Will looked ready to pounce on Zeus.

"I hate to break it to you, lord of the sky, but you have made errors!" Everyone gasped as Percy spoke. This wasn't going to end well. "Errors that your son hasn't made!" Percy pointed to Jason as she spoke.

Zeus was getting angry. "Please enlighten me, dear child, of what errors I have made that my son hasn't?"

"Your son fixed your past mistakes." Nico turned and stared in shock as Will spoke up. Everyone parted so he had a clear view of Zeus.

"What past mistake would that be, son of Apollo? Be careful what you say. Don't follow in your father's footsteps and defy me." Zeus leaned forward as if inviting Will to say the wrong thing. Will gulped. He was nervous. But Nico saw him steel himself as he spoke.

"He befriended a son of Hades." He gained eye contact with Nico. "After you killed his mother." His eyes flicked back to Zeus.

Zeus sat back, considering Will. Hades looked surprised at the mention of Nico's mother. Nico knew how much he had loved and had seen how devastated he was by her death.

Will continued. "And you killed her, trying to kill Nico and Bianca because you didn't want them to destroy your power, which you had no proof they would. And just like your son isn't defined by your mistakes, Nico isn't defined by his father's own mistakes. Hades cursed the Oracle of Delphi. And maybe that's why we aren't getting prophecies anymore. Or maybe it's because you-" he faced Zeus again, pointing at him. "-subjected my dad to punishment when it wasn't entirely his fault!" Will heaved as he got all his emotions off his chest. "Your Highness," he added as an afterthought.

The throne room was dead silent. No one dared to speak. Zeus was visibly offended by what Will had said. Will shrank back into himself. Nico, even though he had broken up with Will, still cared about him and really hoped that Zeus wouldn't disintegrate him.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't disintegrate you right now, boy?" Zeus's voice shook with anger.

"Because, respectfully, sir, I'm right and you know I am." Will was terrified, Nico could see that much, but he tried to show that he was confident. _Oh, I'm going to regret this_ he thought.

"And, we will all stand with and defend him," Nico said, moving in front to protect him.

"Nico? What are you doing?" Will whispered.

"Reversing roles. I'm protecting you for once." He muttered. The rest of the group moved in front of Will as well, pretty much making a human barrier around him.

"Oh look, the demigods teaming up against the gods. I could kill you all in a heartbeat." Zeus said passively.

"Zeus, honey." Hera pleaded.

"Alright, fine, fine. I'll heed your wish and not destroy this boy. But next time..." He warned. "Valdez, that is one thing that we cannot grant and your reward should be that I don't kill you for even asking such an impertinent question. She wronged us and was a traitor. That's unforgivable. And a reward that we cannot fulfill."

"What about mine?" Percy piped up.

"Excuse me?" Zeus was getting angry again. "What are you talking about?"

"Perseus now might be a really good time to stop talking," Poseidon warned.

"My favor from the Great Prophecy. The oath you made that you never fulfilled."

"What are you on about, punk?" Ares grumbled.

"You swore on the Styx that you would pardon Calypso, but you didn't, did you? You left her to rot on her island, after swearing to pardon her. And all the gods/goddess who sided on the side of the Titans in the first war, but who have repented. Sure, you never said when, but that is my favor now. I request that you pardon and apologize for your actions against her."

"Jackson, you think you have the right, the authority to make that request of us..." Zeus asserted.

"Yes, I do. Because I went through Tartarus-" the word sent a shiver down Nico's spine and through the room. "-to get to the Doors of Death and close them so we all could be successful in destroying the Giants and Gaea. And so we can continue to kill monsters and they will stay dead. So yeah, I think I have the right to ask you to apologize and pardon one person. Someone who deserves to be pardoned. I think I have the right to ask you to fulfill an oath that you made many years ago. I think I have a right after your wife stole 8 months of my life from me. I have that right."

Zeus opened and closed his mouth. He was speechless. After a few moments, he spoke. "Fine, I will grant your wish, Jackson. We extend an apology to Calypso." He snapped his fingers. A storm cloud appeared in front of Zeus. When the fog disappeared, Calypso was revealed.

"Oh ye gods," Calypso gasped, turning around, slowly understanding where she was. "What is this?"

"We would like to extend an apology to you, Calypso, for trapping you on that island You Have been pardoned for all your crimes. And, as you discovered, will become mortal."

"I-" she started, still looking shell-shocked. "Thank- thank you, Lord Zeus."

Zeus mused. "So that's all the heroes rewarded, blah, blah, blah."

Hera stood. "Heroes, thank you for your service to Olympus and assistance in saving it once again. I hope you all will find these rewards to your satisfaction. Thank you for continuing to stand up for what you believe in and always finding a way to do what's necessary, even if it isn't easy. Please enjoy the rest of the celebration."


	10. Chapter 10: The Winter Solstice

_Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed in this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Jason's POV:

Zeus began the festival. The music started again and the demigods slowly dispersed back into the courtyard. The god shrunk to human size in order to better converse and party with their children. Jason watched Ares go straight to Clarisse and slap her on the back. She grinned as she launched into conversation with him. Hermes joined Connor and Travis, who were both eating. Demeter gave the flower crown she was making to Miranda. Even though some of the demigods did not get recognized, Jason could see that their parents wanted to make an effort in keeping in contact with them.

Zeus would not be making any effort to keep in contact with him after the stunt his friends had just pulled. He looked around for Nico, knowing he had been shaken up by what Zeus had said, but the son of Hades was nowhere in sight. Hades appeared to be looking for his son as well, and stopped to talk to Hazel on his search for Nico. Jason's eyes landed on Percy, Annabeth, Calypso, and Leo, all speaking to each other. He strode over, ready to lecture them for antagonizing Zeus.

"You really did try to save me? You asked the gods to pardon me as your reward for saving Olympus?" Calypso asked. Leo must have gotten her up to speed on what was happening.

"Well of course, what kind of person do you think I am?" Percy asked.

"I don't know, I just didn't think you would do that for me. Nobody ever had. Everyone had someone else they loved."

"It doesn't matter if I loved you, I still cared about you and knew you were a close friend. You saved me after all. I had to return the favor."

"But you didn't return the favor to us, now did you?" Annabeth said, snarkily.

"Excuse me?" Calypso looked affronted.

"When you cursed my name, cursed me to your own fate," Annabeth mentioned.

"What are you- oh my gods how do you know about that?" Calypso put her hand over her mouth in shock.

"Because when we were in Tartarus, we were attacked by _arai_. Do you know what those are?" Annabeth asked.

Calypso looked at her feet. "Yes."

"I killed one, and I was cursed, I was subjected to your pain, your despair. I was to perish alone and abandoned. I understand that you lived with that your whole life. But you didn't even know me, how could you curse me like that?" Tears were threatening her eyes. Percy rubbed at her back.

"I am so, so beyond sorry, Annabeth, you have no idea-" a tear slid down the former goddess's face.

"You're right, I don't know. What I do know is that your curse almost killed me, and Percy."

"How was I supposed to know? I had been wronged so many times and my heart was broken, so I cursed you. Can you blame me? After everything I went through?"

"Can I blame you? You've been through a lot, but so have we all! Percy and I went through literal Hell and lived to tell the tale. Because of you, I was almost trapped down there, Percy almost lost his life. I am so sorry that I am a little upset about the fact that you cursed me. I'm sorry that you have had terrible trials, but this is the real world. Every single person goes through tough times and is expected to get up and act like nothing is wrong. I have been through so much, I am allowed to be upset and angry with you for cursing me." She finished, face red with anger. Calypso looked ashamed.

"I am so sorry. I had no idea that that was going to happen to you, if I had known, I would have changed what I had done. I went through so much pain, but that gave me no right to curse you when I didn't even know you. Please forgive me, please." Annabeth didn't say anything. Calypso turned her eyes to Percy. "Percy?"

"I know that you didn't know who she was or how terrible the consequences would be. I also understand the trials you went through. But, I also understand what Annabeth went through. She didn't deserve that. That wasn't fair."

"When is anything in life fair?" Annabeth muttered. She looked at Calypso. "Okay, I understand that you are sorry. And eventually I will forgive you, but I need time to process what has happened."

"I understand that. Thank you. I am so sorry, you have no idea." Annabeth held out her hand. Calypso grasped it and pulled her into a hug.

Annabeth started crying, as the weight of what really happened in Tartarus hit her. As they continued the touching moment, Jason lightly cleared his throat. Only Percy and Leo heard him as they looked up at him. He beckoned them to follow. They followed him to a secluded corner.

"What in world were you two thinking, pulling a stunt like that? My father could have killed you! He almost did. What were you thinking?" Jason exclaimed.

"We were thinking that we wanted to right a wrong that was present in the world. She deserved to be apologized to. And it wasn't a hard thing for the gods to do. So, I took a chance." Leo reasoned. "And it paid off, no one got hurt, and I got what I wanted." He smiled.

"Still, that was an insanely risky thing to do. You offended Zeus, Jupiter, whatever. And he holds grudges for quite some time. Now, if we ever try to help my father for help again, he might not be so willing to help us."

"He never fulfilled the promise that he made to me. I wanted to make sure that he did." Percy said. "And someone had to stand up to him. For everything that he has done, and for what he said about Nico, in front of everyone, that was uncalled for. Is he okay?"

"Jason," he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Will. His eyes were filled with fear. "Have you seen Nico? I can't find him."

Jason brought him into the small circle that they had formed. "No, I was coming to look for him when I ran into these knuckleheads."

"That was brave, what y'all did. Brave, but stupid." Will pointed out.

"Yeah, we already got the lecture from Jason. You were pretty brave too, Will. Defending Nico like that. After everything that has happen." Percy praised him.

"Well, I still love him. And that's why I want to find him. The things Zeus said about him, Nico didn't want to be exposed like that." Will said, obviously worried about the son of Hades. He was twisting the bracelets on his wrist.

"And that offer Hades made him, it's a lot to process. You need to find him." Jason surveyed the room as he spoke. Where was Nico?

"At least Athena convinced Zeus to agree. When you think about it, none of the other gods on the Council seemed to have a problem with us standing up to Zeus." Percy realized.

"None of us did," they all turned as Poseidon, Athena, and Hephaestus approached the group. Poseidon went on. "My brother needs to be put in his place sometimes, even by insignificant demigods." He said jokingly, winking at Percy. Percy smiled, nodding back.

"And I'm sure that Mr. di Angelo could succeed and accomplish great things as his father's second-in-command." Athena grey eyes scanned the group, before landing on Will. "With the proper care and support." She held the eye contact for a minute, before blinking and looking away. "Now, where is my daughter-ah I've just located her, thank you boys."

She walked away, looking regal. Jason was shocked at the similarity between her and Reyna. He was surprised the goddess of wisdom wasn't Reyna's mother.

"Yikes, she's intimidating. That would a rough dinner if you had to go meet the parents, Jackson." Leo nudged Percy.

"Yeah, trust me, she hated me at first. I think staying with her daughter through Tartarus kinda showed her that I actually have her daughter's best interest at heart." Percy watched as Athena and Annabeth spoke. Athena brushed away a tear from Annabeth's face. That was the first time Jason had truly seen Annabeth break down, and while it shocked it, he was surprised it had taken so long. She had dealt through so much. As had Percy. And Nico.

Poseidon moved next, grasping Percy's hand and pulling him into a hug. Percy looked shocked, as Poseidon started talking about how proud he was of him. Hephaestus went for a handshake and Leo went for a high five. They both stopped and ended up doing an awkward fist bump. Jason and Will backed away so they could give their friends time with their parents. Time that neither Jason nor Will would get that night.

"Let's go find Nico and make sure he's okay." Jason directed. They walked around the courtyard and they came across Piper and Reyna.

"Have you seen my mother? I haven't seen her since the meeting ended." Piper asked.

"No, I haven't. We are looking for Nico, have you seen him?" Jason asked her.

"We haven't seen him. He got pretty shaken up in there. You two need to find him." Reyna said seriously. Her eyes moved and looked past Jason. "And Piper, I think I just found your mother."

Jason and Will turned to see Aphrodite coming back up to the courtyard. She smiled serenely. "Piper, my love! How are you?"

"Mother, hello."

She spotted Jason. She grasped his arm. Her beauty overwhelmed him. "And you must be Jason. Oh, I'm so excited to finally meet you."

"Yes, it is very nice to meet you. Will and I were in the middle of something that we need to-" Aphrodite cut off Jason's rambling.

"Nonsense, Will doesn't need you when he goes to get his boyfriend back." Everyone's eyes got wide. "Don't all look surprised. I'm the goddess of love, I know these things." She laughed. "In fact, I just finished talking to him. What a sad demigod. He's in one of the empty palaces down the hill if you want to go find him." She told Will. She pulled him to the side. "And you might want to hurry, he's planning on taking off soon. And we can't have my favorite couple officially spilt up."

"I-thank you. I'll go find him." Will said, starting to move. Aphrodite stopped him.

"Be gentle with him. He's going through a lot." She said, concern flooding into her beautiful eyes.

"Of course. I'll do my best."

"You'd better. Get to it boy." She turned back to the gathered demigods, raving about how great love is and how cute Will and Nico were as a couple. Hopefully, Will could convince Nico to continue being a couple. He jogged down the mountain, and to the empty palace that Aphrodite had pointed out. He hoped his plan would work.

* * *

Nico's POV:

After Zeus had adjourned the council, Nico had rushed out of the throne room. He hurried through the courtyard, begging himself to stay calm. He was surprised by what his father had offered him, he couldn't wrap his mind around it. His mind started racing along with his heart. Was he even qualified to be his father's second in command? Zeus didn't believe so. Which meant that most people didn't think he was right for the position either. Why had Zeus called him out in front of everyone? Everyone probably thought he was weak, even the gods.

He ran into an abandoned palace a little farther down Mount Olympus. He paced the room that he entered. He was panicking. He was weak. He wasn't mentally stable to be his father's second in command. He couldn't control his powers, much less his emotions. He couldn't eat half the time; how should he be expected to help run the Underworld. What was wrong with him?

He just wanted to be strong enough. He wanted to be powerful. He wanted to be able to protect those he loved, without having them need to protect him. He hit a wall out of frustration. Maybe he would take his father up on his offer and leave Camp Half-Blood and live in the Underworld. That could work. There, he wouldn't be able to cause any pain, or make any mistakes that could cause harm to his friends. His friends. They all, if they didn't already know, probably thought he was insane. And broken. And weak. He had to get away from it all.

He turned to leave, but was blocked from leaving by a very beautiful woman. Aphrodite.

"Your ladyship," Nico inclined his head in greeting.

She waved it off. "Oh, none of that, what's going on? Why aren't you with Will? You guys are so cute together!"

"We- I broke up with him. We aren't together anymore." Nico said, expressionless, though his heart clenched as he spoke.

"I know that, but why?"

"I-that's my business, not anyone else's." Nico crossed his arms over his chest defensively.

"Honey, that is exactly what my business is. It's my job. I promise, it's in the job description." Aphrodite sweetly smiled. Her eyes were the exact color of Will's. Her hair, an identical hue to Will's. It was distracting Nico, making it harder to focus. He longed for the son of Apollo, but he knew that that was something he could not have.

"Well, I don't really want to talk about it, so you are fighting a losing battle."

"Oh, but fighting for love, that's the best part. It shows that you are passionate about what you want. The thrill of the chase is half the reason why people fall in love in the first place."

"I don't love him. He doesn't love me." Nico said feebly.

"That's a lie and you know it. Of course he loves you. And peering into your mind, I know that you love him too." Warmth and understanding flooded from Aphrodite's eyes.

"I just don't exactly have the best track record with love." He kicked at the ground.

"Are you talking about Percy? We both know that was just you longing for someone you knew you couldn't-oh, you are talking about Cupid. My son. That's what you're talking about?"

"I did love Percy at one point," Nico didn't know why he was opening to a goddess he barely knew. She was just so easy to talk to (probably because she was emulating Will). And she already knew all of this anyway. "But, the worse thing about love is what your son made me do. Face it. Admit it."

"You are so used to keeping things bottled up, huh, son of Hades?" Nico nodded in affirmation to Aphrodite's question.

"It's what I do. It's what I was expected to do, back when I was younger, when being gay wasn't an accepted thing. So, I learned to keep things to myself. I've had so many experiences that others don't understand or can't fathom, so I keep them to myself. I don't like being exposed in front of people. Which is what Zeus did today, and it was humiliating." Nico looked at his shoes. He was letting all of his emotions out, and his heart felt a little lighter.

"I know it seems like it was really embarrassing, but all your friends looked ready to attack Zeus for saying that private information in front of everyone. It was uncalled for. But, tell me, why are you so afraid of people knowing things about you and letting people in?" She was getting to the roots of his problems. Stuff he didn't like talking about.

"I don't know-"

"Nico, don't lie-"

"I just don't! And I don't know why I'm even telling you any of this, I barely know you!" He yelled.

He dropped down in a chair that had a sheet draped over it, head in his hands. Aphrodite waited.

"I guess I'm scared of rejection. I'm scared that people will not like who I am, as a person, and will not want to deal with all my problems. I don't want people to think that I'm weak or discover that I'm weak and take advantage of that. I don't want those people to think 'oh hey, it's the kid with depression and anxiety and who has panic attacks' and either leave me, or just not talk to me at all. I don't want to be isolated, because I have been for a long time, so I isolate myself so no one else can. I just want to be happy, but I can't even allow myself that. I destroy every good thing in my life! I'm responsible for the destruction of my own happiness. I break everything I try to control my life, but I can't always control my powers and emotions. They overwhelm me. And everything falls to shambles. "

Aphrodite daintily sat next to him. "But not everything needs to fall to shambles. Your friends will not abandon you. They love you, trust me, I know! To be happy, you have to allow yourself to become happy. You have to open your heart up and let people in to help you. You have to open your heart to love and understanding. I know you've been wronged by people who you consider your friends, but that doesn't mean everyone will hurt you. You sometimes just have to take a leap of faith."

"But, sometimes I hurt them. And I don't want to hurt them or make them suffer." Nico revealed.

"Sometimes, in friendships and relationships, we inadvertently hurt the ones we love. If someone truly loves you, then they will forgive you for hurting them. They will understand what happened. You just have to have faith, trust, and understanding. All key factors to relationships and friendships." She really knew what she was talking about. They were silent a moment, before Aphrodite stood. "Now, I have really, genuinely enjoyed our conversation, but I really have to join in the festivities. Care to come with me?" She held out a hand. Nico shook his head.

"No, I'd rather be alone for a while." While Aphrodite had been convincing, it hadn't been enough. A plan was still forming in his mind of when he was going to take off. She sighed.

"Hey, I know you want to leave and isolate yourself once again, but can you do one thing for me?" Nico nodded. "There is a very special demigod who needs to talk to you. I know you don't want to, but can you please just hear him out and try to understand where he's coming from? For me? Before you leave?" Nico hated to do it, but Aphrodite had really helped him.

"Of course."

She clapped her hands in delight. "Fabulous! It was really wonderful to talk to you Nico!" She exclaimed, grasping his hand.

"You as well." She released him and flowed out of the palace. He put his head back into his hands. He had just exposed his deepest fears with the goddess of love. A goddess prone to gossip. If Zeus was bad, this would be ten times worse. What had he done?


	11. Chapter 11: Forgiveness

_Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed in this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

Will hurried down Mount Olympus, scanning for the palace that Aphrodite had mentioned. He spotted it. Its white columns were dirty and crumbling. He stepped inside the main hall. All the furniture was covered with white sheets. He walked into what looked like an old sitting room and found Nico pacing a hole into the carpet.

"Nico?" The son of Hades whirled around at the sound of Will's voice. He had tears in his eyes, and he was breathing really heavily. Will held his hands up. "It's okay."

"Okay? It's not okay. Nothing is okay, okay?!" Nico was visibly trembling. He was panicking. Will slowly moved toward him.

"Okay, tell me how to help you." Will used a soothing voice, one he usually used to calm down anxious patients.

"Help me? No one can help me. I'm beyond help." Nico sounded broken. He was higher strung and more panicky than Will had expected him to be.

"Tell me what's going on in your head," Will requested. He was very close to Nico.

"That's my business, not yours," Nico's voice was tense. He was on the verge of a panic attack. Will wanted to prevent that. He lightly touched Nico's arm. Nico flinched but didn't protest. Will slowly encircled Nico with his arms. Nico started to melt into his arms, releasing some of his pent-up stress, when all of a sudden, he pushed Will away.

"Don't touch me!" He yelled. Will held his hands up, defensively, showing that he wasn't going anywhere near Nico. Nico slowly sank to the ground. He started murmuring. "We- we aren't supposed to do that anymore. We-we broke up."

Will say besides him, without touching. "You're right. We don't have to do anything you are uncomfortable with. Let's just sit here for a bit."

They sat like that for twenty minutes as Nico calmed down. He unwrapped his arms and slowly stood, studying Will as if seeing him for the first time.

Will stood as well. "I just want to talk, that's all."

"Everyone seems to want to do that today. I'm not really in the mood for sharing. Especially not with you."

The words sent a pain through Will's heart, but he had a feeling that Nico didn't mean them. "You don't mean that. I know you don't."

"Don't tell me what I do or don't mean Solace!" He said angrily. "You have no idea how I'm feeling."

"I would if you opened up." Nico scowled. "I'm not going to force you to do that, but I want you to know that I'm here for you and will support you no matter what."

"I'm sure. Your support even means locking me up for my own good." Nico said, referring to their fight from the previous day.

"I misspoke, Nico." Will tried to emphasize. "I made a mistake, and now I plan to correct it. I know you hate how overprotective I am, and I'm going to change that. Obviously, if you're hurt, I'm going to heal you, but I'm not going to fight your own battles for you. I'm not going to interfere unless you ask for my help, which maybe one day, you'll actually want it. But, for now, I'm not going to try to be overprotective anymore. I know you are strong enough to protect yourself and me as well. You just need time to grow into your power and regain strength and I understand that."

"Strong enough, that's debatable." Nico ridiculed himself.

"Are you kidding me? Nico, you are strong enough! You are extremely powerful."

"Is that why Jason beat me so easily? And why I almost pass out whenever I train? Why I turn into a puddle every time I shadow-jump?"

"You've had a setback, so what? Everyone has them. And you'll recover and get your strength and power back."

"What power?" Nico joked.

"The power you used to defeat the Titans in the Second Titan War with your father. The first moment when I started to get a crush on you. Before that, when you were traveling on your own. When you survived Hell, on your own! When you helped fulfill the Prophecy of Seven and shadow jumped a huge statue across the globe. You're powerful, Nico." Will assured him.

"I can't always control my powers." He said feebly. "People still get hurt."

"Not everyone can control their powers. It takes time and patience. And you save a lot more people that are hurt."

"But I still hurt people. And people still hurt me. I just don't belong anywhere. I get rejected everywhere I go."

It hurt Will's heart that Nico thought of himself this way. "That is not true. Everyone at camp likes you. They think you are amazing."

"No. I intimidate most of them. And the rest think I'm weak. I'm a freak. I just slice my wrists open and brood. I embrace the darkness. My friends are zombies. I don't belong. I'm an outsider. They all reject me." Nico put his head in his hands, sitting in a chair.

Will sat next to him. "I would never reject you." He pulled Nico's hands away from his face and held them. Nico looked into his eyes. "I love everything about you."

Nico pulled his hands away. "If you are telling the truth, then whoop de do, that's one person. One person on Team Nico."

Will took a deep breath before speaking. "Did you not see all your friends defending you to Zeus when he said all those terrible things?"

"I guess-"

"You guess. Nico, you once told me how you thought people who reject you for being gay. When you started dating me, did any of your friends reject you? Did anyone at camp?"

Nico flinched at the words. "Drew did. And a couple of other people."

Will waved off his concern. "Drew is irrelevant. Your friends support you. All of them. And none more than me. Your friends love you and want to support you. You have to let them. When Reyna found out about your self-harm-"

"Which my friends told her about. Without my permission." Nico interrupted. "I don't want friends who betray my trust."

"Percy accidentally told Reyna, who he thought knew about your self-harm. It was an accident, not intended to hurt you. Percy feels awful for telling her and I'm sure he will tell you that."

"Jason didn't say anything?" Nico asked, hopeful.

Will shook his head. "No one is out to get you. Reyna looked ready to fight anyone and anything when she found out. She didn't judge you for it. She just wants to support you and help you through anything. Just as I do."

"Why though? When I hurt myself, you get hurt in the process. You drain your powers and cause harm to yourself. I don't want you to do that. I don't want you to get hurt. That's why- that's why I broke up with you. So I can stop hurting you." Nico admitted, eyes falling to the floor.

"The only thing that hurts me is seeing you hurt-"

"So I do hurt you then?" Nico asked.

Will reframed his statements. "It pains me to see you in pain. It is not a good thing to harm yourself, and you know that. You know it upsets me when you hurt yourself. But, that doesn't mean I want you to break up with me so you don't hurt me anymore. That's not how it works. Even if we weren't dating, I would still heal you. So your logic is not sound. The only way you can prevent upsetting me is if you stopping hurting yourself."

"I don't know if I can do that," Nico whispered.

"It will take some time to move past hurting yourself, but I believe in you." Will said. "You have to understand that there is no reason to hurt yourself. But, while you work on it, I will still heal you. And healing you does not hurt me. It makes me better at my job. Stronger."

"But, it drains your powers. It makes you pass out. When other demigods use their powers, they don't pass out-"

Will laughed, causing Nico to look up. "Are you serious? Percy and Jason must have told you about their time on the Argo II. If they use too much of their powers, they pass out. Piper told us about how Jason was unconscious most of the time on their journey!"

"But they are both strong…" Nico trailed off.

"And so are you. Passing out from using your powers doesn't mean you're weak. Because of the immense power you have, you just use more of your energy. Honestly, I would be more worried if you didn't pass out when using your powers. You are being too hard on yourself, Nico. You are trying to force yourself to be perfect and not pass out when using your powers. In reality, as you get stronger and more powerful, the more likely you are to pass out."

Nico stayed silent, processing.

"You are strong and powerful Nico di Angelo. And I will heal you anytime you pass out or get hurt. I love you, Nico di Angelo. I always will. No matter what. No matter how hard you try to keep me away, I will always love you. Gods damn the consequences, I will battle any Titan or giant in the world, if it means I get to be with you. I get hurt along the way, so what? I love you, no matter-"

Before he could process it, Nico's lips were on his. His eyes widened in shock and then they slowly shut. He put his hands on Nico's waist and pulled him closer. He savored the moment. Nico broke off the kiss, breathing heavily.

"I guess you return my feelings." Will joked, repeating what he had said the first time they had kissed.

Nico grinned. "Shut up, Solace."

They were quiet for a moment, holding eye contact. Will couldn't keep the grin off his face. He and Nico were going to be okay. He grinned again and squeezed Nico. He had his love back.

Nico tensed in his grip so Will loosened it. "What's wrong?"

Nico shrugged, not quite meeting his eyes. "I feel terrible for what I said to you-"

"-I said it's okay. It's water under the-" Will interrupted, but was interrupted by Nico again.

"And I know it's not really okay what I said to you. It's just a trend for me. I push away people that I love."

Will titled Nico's chin so he would look at him. "Then let's break the trend."

"And you were overprotective even when you told me you wouldn't interfere. My point is, even though we are back together, we should take things slowly and work through the problems that we have. I want to make things right before we dive right back where we left off." Nico said, looking determined. Will nodded.

"Okay, I understand that. And we can take things at whatever speed you want us to, okay?"

Nico nodded. "Thank you for respecting that." He took a deep breath.

"Are you okay? I know that a lot happened during the Solstice."

Nico sighed. "Yeah, I guess I'm okay. I realize that Zeus is always going to be like that and I shouldn't let it get to me. And the offer that my dad made me, I really have to think about it before I make a decision. But I will consider all my options." He laced his fingers with Will's. Will smiled. Together they walked out of the house and back into the Solstice.


	12. Chapter 12: Satisfaction

_Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed in this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Jason's POV:

Jason looked anxiously around. It had been a while since he had last seen Will going to find Nico and it concerned him. Where were they? Reyna kept telling him to relax and that they would be fine, but Jason wasn't buying it. He had seen how shaken up Nico was. And he was worried. What made his father think that he could say that to Nico?

He scanned the crowd. Percy and Annabeth were dancing in the center of the courtyard, Percy spinning her around crazily. Aphrodite was staring at them, love in her eyes. They were a cute couple, Jason gave them that. Leo and Calypso were at the food table. Leo took the moment, as Calypso turned, to smear chocolate from the fountain, all over her face. Jason heard her gasp in surprise as she turned and smear chocolate on him as well. Hazel was off to the side with her father, the two speaking in low tones. What they had been discussing for the past half an hour, Jason was unsure of. Frank and Piper were standing next to him, quietly talking. Ares/ Mars had come over and shaken Frank's hand before going back over to Clarisse. He heard footsteps and whirled around to see both Nico and Will rejoining the group. Jason breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey, where have you two been?" He asked, looking concernedly at Nico.

"Just talking some things out. How about I get us some drinks?" Will asked. Nico nodded.

Jason and Nico watched as Will walked away. Jason adjusted his glasses and looked back at Nico. "Are you two-?" He trailed off, waiting for an answer.

"We talked about some things and we are okay now."

"Thank the gods. I was worried about you."

"You don't need to do that, Jason," Nico said shortly.

"Of course I do-"

"No, you really don't. I'm not a little kid. I can take care of myself."

"I didn't say you couldn't. I worry because I care about you. You are one of my closest friends." Jason said.

"Yeah, okay." Nico effectively ended the conversation before speaking up again. "I wanted to thank you. For being there for me."

"No problem, man. That's what I'm here for. Are- are we-?" Jason gestured between him and Nico.

Nico sighed. "I don't know. Why didn't you tell me it was Percy?"

"I didn't want it to seem like I was blaming him." As Jason spoke he noticed an unfamiliar figure beckon Will off the side. They started talking. The figure kept looking over to Hades and Hazel. Hades was staring holes into the figure and Will. Jason was going to point it out to Nico, but he decided not to give Nico another thing to worry about. He would just ask Will about it when he came back.

"I can forgive you, Jason. It wasn't your fault."

"I don't want you to be mad at Percy."

Nico shrugged. "I'm not. I never told him otherwise. It was an accident."

"Are you feeling alright?" Jason asked, feinting concern. "I don't think I've ever seen you so…" he looked for the word "forgiving."

Nico scowled, pushing Jason's hand away. "Knock it off. It's just- after hearing you defend me- I can see that you all do care and have my best interests at heart. I know you would never purposefully try to hurt me."

Jason nodded. "It's true. We all love you. We all care about you."

"Yeah," Nico trailed off.

"So, how was camp while everyone was away?" Jason asked, trying to make conversation.

"Fine. You know, the usual stuff." Nico shrugged, not meeting his eyes.

"No... episodes?"

Nico scoffed. "That doesn't make me feel better when you call them that Jason. Just call them what they are." Jason stayed silent, waiting for an answer. "Oh, c'mon, I saw you talking to Will earlier today. You know perfectly well what's been 'going on' with me in the four months that you guys have been gone. So much for patient-doctor confidentially."

Jason sighed. "Actually Kayla told us, but that doesn't matter, Are you really not going to tell us about the kid who gave you trouble?"

"I don't need you fighting my battles, Jason."

"I know, but it just makes me so angry that someone would do that to any person. Especially over something like that."

"What? Being gay?" Nico asked, point-blank. "Please, that's nothing. You might get roughed around a bit now, but back in my day-" which made him sound like an old man, but, he honestly was. "-you could get institutionalized for being homosexual. It's a lot more accepted than it was back then."

"What was your life like back then? In Italy? I know that's where you grew up." Jason dared to ask.

Nico smiled, hollowly. "You got me to talk a little bit, but don't push your luck Grace."

"Point taken." They both stopped talking.

As Jason looked around again, he saw Leo and Calypso. That sent a stab of guilt through him. Leo and Percy had defended Calypso. And Percy had had problems with Calypso. What kind of person was he to not defend Nico? Jason had not helped Nico with the Ares kid he had dealt with or helped him against Zeus.

"I'm sorry for not standing up to my father for you. I just didn't want to get anyone in trouble."

"I agree with you. And Will shouldn't have defied your father just to defend me. That was risky of him. Anyway, you didn't have to. Besides, even though he was an idiot to bring this in front of the Council, Will was right. You, friends with me, in lieu of what your father did, even if you didn't know that your father had done-" Nico cut himself off. "I'm rambling. I'm not used to-" he waved his hand, not sure of what to say.

"Thanking people? Letting people help?" Jason supplied.

Nico shrugged. "At any rate, you stood up to your father by being friends with me. Even though I deal with problems in a way that your father obviously doesn't agree with. And I appreciate it. I get that it's difficult to please your father. Believe me, I understand that."

"I want to personally apologize for my father. I had no idea that he would personally target you like that. That was not right." Jason warily looked around as he spoke, to make sure that his father wasn't standing there, ready to vaporize him. Apparently, he was distracted by other matters because Jason didn't even feel a little shock. Or he was just ignoring his trouble-maker son. He looked back to Nico. "He had no right to call you out in front of everyone."

"Fairness is not really a thing that I expect in my life too often. Sometimes, I get lucky." He glanced over at Hazel and looked for Will, but Will and the figure had disappeared. Nico didn't look too concerned.

Jason jokingly put his hand against Nico's forehead again. "Are sure you are alright? Do I need to get Will? Nico di Angelo, the brooding son of Hades, being optimistic?"

Nico scowled, pushing Jason's hand away. "Oh, shut up."

"What did Will say to you? You are optimistic. And forgiving. And being open. Do you need to lie down?" Jason asked. Nico made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a cough. Jason grinned. It had been ages since he had heard the son of Hades laugh.

"Did you actually get him to laugh?" Will Solace appeared. "Is he okay?"

"I don't have to be open or forgiving. I can go back to keeping everything to myself." Nico crossed his arms over his chest.

"Okay, Lord of Darkness, you can go find your black, brooding cloud." Nico punched Will in the shoulder.

"I thought you were getting us drinks."

Will's face brightened with red at the mention of the forgotten drinks. "Well, who would have known that the only drinks they serve are nectar. Not healthy for demigods to drink passively."

"Then what took you so long?" Nico asked.

Jason was curious and looked over to see what Will would say, but before he could, he was interrupted.

"Nico, my son." The three demigods looked up to see Hades and Hazel joining the group. Nico inclined his head at the God of the Underworld.

"Father."

"Have you considered my offer?"

"I need to consider all my options first. And would need to know what the job calls for." Nico logically said.

"Well, you would serve as my second-in-command, my own personal lieutenant. You would help me run the Underworld. You would assist me in managing spirits, reinforcing defenses, expansion, and be there to pass judgment during trials. And you would also continue fulfilling your duties as Ghost King. Like hunting down wayward spirits, etc." Hades took a breath as if regretting what he was going to say next. "But, this job would be full time. You would be required to live with me in the Underworld. Continuing your time at Camp Half-Blood or Jupiter would hinder your ability to do the job. I would need you at a moment's notice. Your communication with the camps and the mortal world would be limited, except for limited circumstances." There was the catch. The downside of Nico taking the job, if he chose to accept.

Nico looked around at Jason, Will, and Hazel. The people he cared most about. At least who Jason thought he cared about the most. Will's face showed fear as if he feared to lose Nico when he had just gotten him back. Hazel's face was proud, but hesitant as if worried about her brother's isolation. Jason was happy that Nico was offered this amazing opportunity, but would also be concerned about Nico becoming alone again.

Nico paused before answering. "I'm very honored by your offer, father, but I think I will have to decline for now. I will still continue my duties as Ghost King, but Zeus was right. I am not ready to handle this kind of responsibility. I... I think I want to stay at Camp Half-Blood for now. I think I found the place I belong." Hades nodded, eyes lit up as if happy that his son had found his place. But his face curled, acting as though he knew something that no one else did.

"I respect and understand your decline. But the offer still stands. Maybe you will accept. One day." His eyes lingered on Will. Will's face brightened with red again. Hades beckoned Nico closer, away from the others and whispered something that no one else heard. Nico nodded, showing his understanding of what his father had said.

"Now, I have some matters to attend to. Son of Apollo, I'm sure we will meet again, very soon." He looked towards his daughter. "Hazel, my darling." He kissed her hand. "Nico, my son. Please consider what I had to say."

Nico nodded. "I will. Thank you, father." He lightly bowed. The others followed his lead. Hades smirked and walked away. The figure that Jason had seen talking to Will followed. Jason was about to ask Will when Nico scowled.

"Should have known that Alecto came to the meeting. She follows him everywhere and continually keeps tabs on me." He turned back to the group. "And he thinks I don't know."

Jason felt like he had heard that name somewhere. Alecto. He remembered Percy telling him a story about how his math teacher, Mrs. Dobbs, was actually called Alecto. He racked his brain. Of course. Alecto was one of the Furies. He considered Will, without saying anything. What had Will gotten himself into that had the Furies asking him questions?

He and Will were brought back to the rest of the group as Hazel badgered Nico with questions. "What did he whisper to you? What did he want you to consider?"

Jason tuned back in because he wanted to know himself.

Nico was flustered. "I- just some more specifics about the job." Man, both Will and Nico needed to work on being a little less secretive. They all looked at him as if they knew he was lying. "What? I don't want to get into the specifics about it, but I promise that's what he was talking about."

Will rolled his eyes, smirking. "Alright, Death Boy. You can tell us later. But right now, may I have this dance?"

Nico turned bright red. "What- well- I don't know-" But his protests faded as Will dragged him into the courtyard. Jason and Hazel laughed as Will swung Nico around, who looked massively uncomfortable. Jason looked around to see Frank and Piper approaching.

"Hey, we didn't want to disturb the Hades-child bonding session, so we waited to come over," Frank said, kissing Hazel on the cheek. Hazel blushed. She continued to laugh at her brother.

"I don't want him to feel awkward." She looked up to Frank, putting out her hand. "May I have this dance?"

Frank smiled sweetly. "Why of course you can." He whisked her off to the courtyard. Jason looked back to Piper. She smiled. Man, was he lucky to have her.

"Yeah, you are." She smiled. That's when he realized he spoke aloud. "And I'm lucky to have you as well."

Jason leaned down and kissed her. She sighed softly and put her hands on his face. They broke apart after a minute or so.

"I'm happy to see you so happy," she whispered.

"Yeah, it feels good. Nico finally seems to be happy. That's good for him. And everyone. Everyone finally found where they belonged." He looked around at all his friends and family.

Will and Nico were laughing as they danced around the floor. Hazel giggled as Frank lifted and spun her around. Annabeth, Calypso, and Reyna were sharing a laugh as Percy and Leo were doing the Macarena. Clarisse and Miranda were sitting and overlooking the city of Olympus with awe in their eyes. Connor and Travis were conversing, using huge hand gestures, with their father who laughed at his boy's antics. _Let's just hope it will stay this way,_ Jason thought.

"You should be happy. You are now, officially, the _Pontifex Maximus_! Congratulations!" He smiled.

"Thanks, Pipes." They stayed quiet for a moment, just relishing the moment.

Jason whispered. "C'mon. Let's go join the party." They walked into the throng of their friends, all of whom were dancing at this point. The Heroes and Olympians partied the night away.

* * *

Nico's POV:

The huge group that had attended the Solstice arrived back at camp at around one in the morning. Most of the campers returned back to their respective cabins to turn in for the night. One certain son of Apollo, however, followed a son of Hades back to his cabin. They laced hands at the door.

"I'm glad everything worked out. I'm really glad I didn't lose you, Nico." Will said softly.

"I'm glad I didn't lose you either."

"Do you-" he asked with his eyes. _Do you want me to stay to keep the nightmares away?_ That's what he used to ask Nico every night.

"I'm okay for the night." Nico could see the disappointment in Will's body language. "I need to learn to keep the nightmares away by myself, Will. I can't rely on you for everything."

"I just want to be there for you." Will earnestly said.

"I need to do this alone. I need time to think about everything that is happening."

"Okay," Will agreed, without a fight. "Just don't stay up all night."

"Yes, yes."

"You'll get me if you have nightmares…"

Nico held up a hand to stop Will. "I know the drill, Solace. You need sleep as well. And, you don't want to miss curfew. Shockingly, I don't want 'Eaten by Patrol Harpy' written on your tombstone. You need something much more macho."

Will laughed. "Goodnight, Nico." He leaned down, stealing a kiss before jogging back down the hill.

"Goodnight, Will."

Nico looked around, watching the cabin lights going off, one by one. He creaked the door open, moonlight spilling into the cabin, revealing Hazel, already wrapped in sleep. Nico collapsed onto his own bed. His body was exhausted, but his mind felt as if it was going a thousand miles per minute. He thought about his father's offer. He didn't think he was going to take it. After all, he thought that he finally found where he belonged. But, his father had told him, when he whispered into his ear, that the offer was flexible. He didn't know exactly what that meant, but one thing was for certain: his father was determined for him to work for him. He honestly didn't know what his father had in mind for him.

He shrugged it off, realizing that late-night decision making never went well. He curled up in his bed and quickly fell asleep.


	13. Chapter 13: Fears

_Warnings: mentions of violence and nightmaresDisclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses the themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

Nico shot up in bed as if he had been electrocuted. He had been dreaming of the ghost Minos. He breathed in and out slowly, trying to get his heart rate under control. He swung his feet out from under the covers. He knew he wasn't going to fall back asleep again. Once he woke up from a nightmare, there was no falling back asleep. He checked the time on his phone. 5:30 am. He had gotten a solid three hours of sleep. Which was pretty impressive for him.

He decided to go for a walk. He put his feet on the floor, which was cold in the winter morning. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt. He pulled on socks, shoes, and a hoodie that he had stolen from Will at one point or another. He also brought his sword, in case he ran into anyone that tried to give him trouble.

He creaked the door open. He winced and turned to make sure he hadn't woken Hazel. She was still fast asleep. He shut the door and set off into the morning air. It nipped at his face, waking him up. He walked towards the center of camp and to the hearth. He warmed his hands using the flames for a few minutes.

He moved on, walking to the Apollo cabin. He paused outside the door, hands raised, about to knock. He stopped himself. There was no need to disturb Will. Not for something this insignificant. He turned away, continuing his walk past the cabins, all their inhabitants snoozing away inside.

Walking past Cabin Number 3, he heard a strangled cry issuing from within. He stopped, listening for it to make sure he hadn't imagined it. He heard it again, the same strangled cry. It was Percy. Nico grabbed his sword handle. He crept slowly up the stairs and put his hand on the doorknob. He turned it carefully and quickly sprang into the room, sword pointing around to locate any adversaries. It was empty besides Percy, who was writhing around in his bunk. Nico reattached his sword to his hip.

"Percy?" he whispered.

The son of Poseidon let out another cry. "Please, NO!" His voice was hoarse as if he had been screaming all night.

Nico carefully moved closer to Percy, who twisted himself into his sheets further. There were tears running down his face. He was trapped in a nightmare and, if Nico had to guess, it was probably Tartarus.

"No! Please don't!" He was in pain.

Nico had to do something. He needed to wake him up. He carefully reached out to touch Percy on the shoulder. "Percy?"

Percy flinched back and grabbed Nico's arm. He twisted it, in an attempt to break his grip, but Nico wasn't prepared. He swore as he tore his arm away. It wasn't broken or sprained, but Nico had underestimated Percy's strength, even when he was sleeping. He knew trying to shake Percy awake would be a suicide mission, so he tried a different tactic. One that he hadn't tried in a while.

When he was trying, he could manipulate his own dreams and avoid nightmares. He was one of the only non-Hypnos demigods that could do it. He was also able to infiltrate other's dreams, but he typically avoided it because of the invasion of privacy. It also took a lot of concentration and strength. But, he had to try.

He slowed his breathing and focused on the son of Poseidon. He listened to Percy's gasping breathing and matched it to his. He concentrated on the darkness in the room. He carefully touched Percy's forehead and his movements stopped. Nico entered Percy's dreams.

 _He found visions of Tartarus flashing across his vision. He flinched back, almost jarring himself from the dream, and the image flickered, but he regained focus. The image solidified and Nico saw himself standing in Tartarus again._

 _He looked around and saw Percy stuck on an island of dust. Akhlys was in front of him, Annabeth behind him. The goddess of Misery sent a jolt of pain through Nico, but he focused on Percy. That's why he was here. To get Percy out of his dream._

 _Nico tried to move towards Percy, but the poison surrounding Percy prevented Nico from moving. Nico watched as Percy glared at all the poison encroaching from all sides. His eyes squeezed shut as the poison tide stopped, turning back to the goddess._

 _"_ _What is this?" The goddess shrieked. Nico shuddered. He hoped he would never have to hear that voice again._

 _"_ _Poison," Percy said. "That's your specialty, right?" He stood as the fumes made the goddess choke. She wailed and stumbled back. Nico's stomach overturned, realizing with horror what Percy was doing. He was controlling the liquid poison, trying to drown the goddess with it._

 _"_ _Percy!" he yelled, breaking Percy's concentration. Percy whipped around, giving Akhlys the time to run away. Nico's heart clenched at the thought of allowing that miserable goddess to live, but he did not want Percy to darken his heart with something so unnatural._

 _"_ _Nico?" Annabeth said in wonder._

 _"_ _Stay awake from him, Annabeth!" Percy commanded, pointing Riptide at Nico. "He's just an illusion sent from Akhlys. He's here to cause us misery."_

 _"_ _Percy," fear was evident in Annabeth's voice. "He's our friend. He doesn't want to hurt us."_

 _The poison cloud started to surround Nico. "Stop! Percy, this is a dream. You are back in your cabin at Camp Half-Blood! You are dreaming. Wake up!" The poison cloud converged on Nico. He lost his focus and was ripped out of the dream._

He opened his eyes to see Percy waking up. His eyes were fluttering. He removed his hand from Percy's forehead.

"Percy?" he whispered again. Percy gasped, his eyes flying open as he sat up. He grabbed Nico's already injured arm and flipped him over himself. Nico landed on his back. Pain shot through his body.

"Mother-fanculo. Cazzo shit! Gods damn it!" The pain dulled as he became aware of his surroundings. He noticed Percy still breathing heavily. As he cursed, Percy looked down at the ground.

"Nico?" Confusion flooded his eyes. "What are you doing here? You were just in my dream…"

Nico rolled onto his side, with a strangled cry of pain. Percy, slow on waking up, finally realized Nico was injured.

"Oh my gods, Nico!" He sprang out of bed. "Are you alright?" He grabbed Nico's hurt arm.

"Stop! Don't touch me. You'll only make it worse!" The son of Hades looked to the side and saw that he had landed on some armor and dented it. That's why it had hurt so badly. He carefully pushed himself up, back and arms aching, and stood. Percy held out a square of ambrosia, which Nico gratefully took.

"What happened?" Percy asked.

"I was walking around camp…"

"At 5 in the morning?" Percy asked, looking at the clock.

"Don't worry about it," Nico dismissed. "I was walking around the commons when I heard you cry out. I thought you were getting attacked so, I came into your cabin. You were having a nightmare. I tried to wake you, but you were fighting me, so I invaded your dreams. When you woke up, you judo-flipped me onto the armor and here we are now."

"I did this to you? I hurt you?"

"It's pretty impressive, beating me up whilst asleep. That's a new low, even for me." Nico joked.

Percy wasn't laughing. He sat back on the bed, burying his face into his hands.

"Percy?" Nico saw a flash of sea-green eyes as Percy looked through his fingers. "It's okay, Perce. It was an accident." Percy didn't say anything. "Percy, talk to me."

"What do you want me to say?"

"Perce- Percy, it was an accident. I know you would never try to hurt me purposefully."

Nico meant what he said, but after seeing the dream, it made him a little wary of the son of Poseidon. The way he could control the poison. Nico thought of the possibilities. If he could control poison, he could control other liquids of the body. Vital liquids. Nico suppressed a shudder. Percy was powerful. And dangerous. He flashed back to what he had said about Percy months ago.

 _Nico twisted his silver skull ring. "Percy is the most powerful demigod I have ever met."_

Another memory flashed in his mind.

 _"_ _Is he dangerous?" Hazel tentatively asked._

 _"_ _Very. To his enemies."_

"So. You saw everything in the dream?" Percy asked, scared of the answer.

"Yes."

"Do you hate me now?"

Nico was shocked at the question. "Why would I hate you?"

"Because I hurt you. Because I know what you can do. Because I'm a terrible person."

"Oh, don't be dense." Percy looked shocked that Nico had insulted him. "What? I know what you are doing. You are doing what I've done to myself since I was twelve. You aren't a monster." Percy stayed quiet. "In fact, I think you are an amazing friend and an extremely powerful demigod. You are a good person, Percy."

"But, I have the ability to do… whatever that was. I could hurt people without moving a muscle." Percy moaned. "I'm not normal."

Nico stayed quiet for a moment, deciding if he wished to confide one of his darkest secrets to Percy. About Bryce Lawrence. "We all have powers that we don't understand, Percy. We all have things in our past that we aren't proud of."

"But, Annabeth- she thinks I'm a monster." His voice filled with anguish.

"Annabeth loves you, Percy. You scared her, yes, because she didn't understand the powers you possess. But, she does know that you would never use your powers to hurt anyone innocent. None of your friends think that. And I'm pretty sure you know that you shouldn't use that power unless absolutely necessary."

"I know."

"It just… it isn't a natural way to die. You can't mess up the natural order of life and death."

Percy wrung his hands. "I know. I don't think I will ever use it again. It scared me as well."

"You shouldn't be ashamed that you have the powers you do, Percy," Nico explained. "You can't control what powers you are given. What you can control is how you use them."

"Yeah," Percy said. Nico picked up on Percy's still present guilt.

"I- I have had a similar experience, Percy. Having a kind of ability that terrified me."

Percy looked at him, curious. "What? What kind of ability?"

Nico sighed, rubbing his forehead. "It was when Reyna, Hedge, and I were transporting the Athena Parthenos. The Romans were after us and so was Orion. Octavian sent a descendant of Orcus-"

"Orcus?" Percy asked.

Nico smiled softly. "You were a Roman praetor, but you don't know a majority of the Roman gods."

"Hey now, I was like praetor for a day before I was on the run from the Twelfth Legion."

"Orcus is the god of punishment in the Underworld. Needless to say, his descendant, Bryce Lawrence, was a sadist, known for torturing animals and killing his centurion. The punishment for that in the Legion is the death, but Reyna showed mercy, banishing him instead. Octavian allowed him to reenter the Legion when he required more support. He sent his- little psychopath after us."

"For what reason?" Percy asked.

"To bring Reyna back to the Legion to stand trial, for breaking ancient laws and questing to Rome, assisting fugitives, etc," Nico waved the statement away. "Bryce eventually caught up to us. He- he told Reyna that he would bring her back for trial- that she would be sentenced to death."

"Oh my gods," Percy whispered.

"He called up skeletons, that served only him. I had no power over them," Nico felt himself trembling but continued. "He threatened Reyna, and- my rage. It exploded."

"What happened?" Percy asked after Nico was silent for a few moments.

"Exactly that. I unleashed all my rage onto him. All my power and energy were used to- to destroy him. He pleaded, but I didn't care. He threatened Reyna and Hedge. He threatened the protection of the camp. I- I turned him into a ghost and sent him to the Underworld. Where he belonged."

The two boys were silent.

"That's some scary shit, di Angelo," Percy admitted. "As bad as mine."

Nico trembled, but wrapped his arms around himself, trying to stop shaking. "I know. Trust me, I know. But, it had to be done."

Percy nodded. "He- he needed to die."

They were silent again before Percy spoke up again.

"Does anyone besides Reyna and Hedge know? Will?"

Nico laughed bitterly. "Reyna and Hedge were terrified of me. They barely understood what I had done- what I had to do. And they were there. They knew the full story. Will- Will wouldn't understand. He is a healer. He wouldn't- he wouldn't understand."

Percy looked at him carefully. "We have both done things we aren't proud of. The only thing to do is to find some way to move past it, and never repeat the actions."

Nico scoffed. "I was supposed to be comforting you."

Percy looked into the distance, smiling softly. "Sometimes you have to give advice before you can take it yourself." He regained eye contact. "Thank you for confiding in me. Especially so soon after I told Reyna your secret."

Nico shrugged. "You didn't know. And Reyna pretty much knows all my secrets anyway. She- got the front-row seat when my rage all exploded at Bryce Lawrence."

"I am sorry for telling her, though."

Nico waved off his apology, changing the subject. "Doesn't Annabeth usually stay with you at night? To help with the nightmares?"

"Yeah, but it was really late when we got back and we didn't want to get caught by the patrol harpies, so she went back to her cabin," Percy explained.

"Yeah, I understand. It's always easier to sleep and deal with nightmares when someone is there." Nico said, referring to himself and Will.

"Do you ever talk about… that place with Will?"

Nico shook his head. "Not really. He just can't wrap his mind around it. He just doesn't understand what I'm talking about, so I keep it to myself. Just like with Bryce Lawrence."

"You don't have to. Annabeth and I lived through it and are always willing to talk to you about it. Help you come to terms with what happened."

"I know and I appreciate it, but you have to understand that I went through a very different version than you and Annabeth. I perceived things very differently. I- I almost went insane. And I didn't get myself out. I wasn't strong enough to do that. I was taken out because I was a pawn. That's very hard to come to terms with. And… there are some things I can't tell anyone about. The things I saw… I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."

"Nico," Percy's voice was filled with pity, which Nico didn't want, so he continued talking.

"At any rate, I might not be willing to talk about it, but I'm willing to listen. Anything you need to talk about that place, I'm here. I want to help you as much as you want to help me. I am beyond help, however. You aren't. You can talk to me." Nico provided.

And that's what Percy did. They left the cabin together and began walking around camp.


	14. Chapter 14: Exhaustion

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses the themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

Percy and Nico had talked for hours, walking around the camp. They stopped on the beach and watched the sun as it rose. As the sky brightened, the camp started to wake up and start the activities of the day. The two were silent, not wanting to ruin the peace that sunrise brought. Nico was the first to break it.

"Well, I have to say, Percy, you really did lay it on me," Nico joked.

"Too much?" Percy asked, nervously.

"No- I mean- well, it was a lot, but I did say that I was willing to listen and I meant that. I am still willing to listen whenever you need me." Nico assured.

Nico thought back to months prior. When Percy asked him to lead the crew to the Doors of Death, he had done it because of his crush on Percy. He would have done anything for him. And he still would. But, not in a romantic kind of way. Nico wanted to be loyal to his friends.

"I appreciate that. It's nice to have someone to talk to." Percy emphasized the last couple of words. Not so subtly hinting that he thought Nico should do the same.

Nico rolled his eyes. "Oh, stop that."

"In all seriousness though, I really did appreciate it. Some of those things… I haven't even told Annabeth before. It gets…"

"Difficult?" Nico finished. "Like she doesn't understand?"

Percy looked at him with broken eyes. "I love her to pieces, but I know that what I can do scared her. It scared me. And it makes it easier to have another person to talk to. That's not my significant other."

"That's how I feel with Will." Confusion filled Percy's eyes. "I mean about the whole not understanding thing. What I can do, what I have done, that would scare him. I'm just not readying to come to terms with it."

Percy clapped Nico on the shoulder. "I know that, but you will have to face it eventually. But, you don't have to face it alone. You shouldn't be alone. Not anymore. We're here for you. We are your family."

"I know, Percy, I finally know that." A smile lit up Percy's face. He held out his arms.

"Hug it out?"

Nico scoffed. "Gods, Percy, I said I would listen to you, but showing PDA crosses a line. Especially since you aren't my type."

"You are going to pay for that one, di Angelo!" Percy threatened. He wrapped his arms around the son of Hades.

"Holy mother of Zeus, Jackson, let me go!" Nico demanded, squirming around. Percy had lifted him so his feet weren't touching the ground. "You are choking the life out of me. My soul is half-way to the Underworld."

Percy released his grip and set Nico back down, but was waiting for Nico to hug him back. Nico was already one step ahead. He kicked some sand into Percy's face. Percy backed away, blinking.

"Geez, Nico! Bring it on!" He raised his arms. Nico turned around with dread to see a wave towering over him.

"Shit-" the son of Hades was doused in ocean water. He shook his hair out, spluttering. "I hate you."

"Think fast." He grabbed a towel that had been left behind on a rock. Nico caught it and toweled his hair and face off.

* * *

Percy's POV:

Percy laughed loudly as he watched the water drip off Nico's clothes. "Hey, you should be thanking me. You won't have to shower today."

"Fuck off, Jackson." He started trudging up the sand dunes just as the Demeter cabin was approaching from a distance away.

"What's on the agenda for the Hades cabin today, Mr. Head Counselor? Would you like to duel the Poseidon cabin?" Percy asked.

"I have and can beat your ass, Jackson. In dueling and even on…" his statement was cut off.

He looked up to see Nico swaying, his eyes rolling in the back of his head. Even with his godly reflexes, Percy wasn't fast enough to catch the son of Hades before he fell backward into the sand.

"Oh my gods, Nico!" He lunged over, dropping to his knees in the sand. He felt for a pulse. It was slow and steady. He looked wildly around. "Hey!" he screamed at the Demeter cabin. They looked up. "Go get Will Solace!"

The senior counselors picked up on what was happening after seeing Nico's comatose body. They sent some younger campers to look for the son of Apollo. Percy looked back down to Nico. He had had no reason to pass out. He had ambrosia for his injuries. And the injuries that he did have shouldn't have caused him to pass out. Unless, Nico had cut himself last night. Percy pushed up his sleeves, but there were no cuts on his wrists. Percy wished he had more ambrosia to give to Nico, but he also didn't want the head healer chopping off his head for incinerating his boyfriend.

Percy was saved from making a decision by the arrival of Will Solace. He came sprinting over to Nico and Percy. He fell to his knees on the other side of Nico and started pulling out supplies from his bag.

"Percy, what the hell happened?" Will was fumbling. He was terrified that Nico was hurt. "Why is he all wet?"

"We were talking- I doused him with water- I don't know what happened! Did I hurt him?" Percy anxiously asked.

"No, this wasn't you." Will shined a light into his boyfriend's eyes. Will sat back on his haunches, looking quizzically at Nico. "He's asleep."

"Excuse me?" Percy asked, surprised.

Will looked up at Percy, amused. "He's asleep, not unconscious. It was like he was just too exhausted to do anything else and he just collapsed, asleep!"

"But, why? Has he ever done this before?"

Will shook his head. "Not to my knowledge. I have no idea what's going on."

"I can help with that." Both Percy and Will looked up to see who had spoken. They finally noticed the small crowd that had gathered around them. Clovis had been the one to speak up.

"Clovis? What are you doing out of your cabin?" Percy questioned.

"I had a dream that brought me here. I know why he passed out." Clovis claimed. The Demeter cabin dispersed, giving the boys some space.

"Okay, I'll bite. Why?" Will said.

"He was interfering in the dream world. He was using hypnokinesis. He was controlling dreams again." Clovis revealed. He started to fall asleep. Percy caught him, shaking him awake.

Will rubbed his forehead. "He shouldn't have tried to do that. His body wasn't ready to handle it. He needs to train before trying that again. Whose dream was he trying to control? His own?"

"He was trying to control mine," Percy piped as he set Clovis on the ground. Will looked up to Percy in confusion. "Long story short, I was having a nightmare and Nico came into to my cabin after hearing me call out. He entered into my dreams and got me out of my nightmare."

Will had started to look over Nico. "Why does he have bruises on his back and arm?"

"I accidentally judo-flipped him over a piece of armor." Percy mentioned.

Will looked stunned. "How does one go about accidentally judo-flipping people?"

"I was defending myself! I thought he was attacking me." Percy defended. "Anyway, after he woke me up, we started walking around the camp. We talked about my nightmare."

"He talked to you about Tartarus?" The son of Apollo sounded dismayed. Percy felt a stab of regret go through him. He didn't mean to hurt Will.

"I talked about my experiences and he just listened. He gave some advice, but didn't recount his experiences." Percy corrected.

"I guess I'm just surprised he talked about it at all. He usually does everything in his power to avoid discussion about it."

"Will, you have to… Tartarus… you can never truly understand the hardships and challenges he went through. That place almost drove him insane." Percy lamented.

All of a sudden, Clovis sat up quickly, causing Will and Percy to jump. "That's true. When I tried to get him out of nightmares, I saw the things that he saw. Even I had nightmares for weeks, and I only saw it for a couple of seconds." He fell back asleep.

Will hit the sand in frustration. "I just want to help him. I know that I told him that I will back off, and I will, but I want to be there for him as well. He doesn't have to face it alone."

"I hate to say this, but maybe that's exactly what he needs." Percy said. "He shouldn't have to, but he went through Tartarus alone. He has to learn to accept it alone as well."

Will sighed. "You're right. It's just difficult. I want to be able to understand."

Percy's eyes widened. "No, you don't. You have no idea how wonderful ignorance is. Especially about Tartarus. Trust me. You have to let him heal on his own and on his own time."

"Okay, okay. But, there must be something I can do? His nightmares are so bad that they interfere with his sleeping schedule. And he refuses to take sleeping draughts so unless I tip some over his evening drink…" Will suggested. Percy laughed.

"Poisoning your boyfriend? That will get you far." He paused. "With Annabeth and I, just being in the same room makes a world of difference. But, Nico is a different story. He had no one with him in Tartarus. I don't know how he can deal with his dreams."

Clovis woke again. "I can help with that too." His eyes opened. "When Nico was transporting the statute to camp, he passed through my dreamscape. Even in the past couple of months, he passed through without realizing it. He used to be able to control his dreams very easily. But, because he was so hurt and almost faded away, he lost the ability. Today, we know that he gained it back. At a cost. It exhausted him. He needs to retrain himself to learn how to control them. The reason he lost the ability is because he is dealing with so much PTSD, after repressing everything for so long. This is the aftermath."

"If he was getting so bad, why didn't you say anything?" Will put up his hand.

Clovis shrugged. "This is the first time I have remembered." His eyes fluttered shut.

Will sighed. "If he is exhausted, I am going to take the Lord of Darkness to catch up on his sleep." He stood up. He bent back down, picking up Nico. He threw him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. "Thanks for your help, Percy."

"Anytime." Percy raised his hand in farewell.

He watched as the two boys disappeared over the ridge, towards Cabin 13. As he sat on the beach, Percy wondered the strange sight they would be. Son of Hades draped unconscious on his boyfriend's back. But, at this point, people probably got freaked out when they didn't see Nico unconscious.

Percy chuckled, turning towards Clovis, who was face down in the sand, snoring. He gently rolled Clovis over, so he wouldn't suffocate.

"Clovis," he said. "It's probably time for you to get back to your cabin."

Clovis merely yawned in response, making Percy yawn as well. Clovis opened his bleary eyes. "I'm just so comfortable. You can leave me here. Just open my backpack. I have a pillow and blanket in there."

Percy shook his head as he extracted the items. He handed them to Clovis, who turned over and continued snoring. Percy stood, heading to the dining pavilion. On his way, he ran into Annabeth.

"Annabeth, my darling!" He planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Yes, hello." She seemed distracted, peeking over the sand dunes. "What were you doing on the beach?"

He smiled. "I was talking to Nico. I had a nightmare and he helped me."

Her eyes lit up. "That's great! But, what did you do to him? Why did I see Will carrying him? And is that Clovis sleeping on the beach? What's going on?"

Percy kissed her on the lips, effectively shutting her up. "You ask too many questions too early in the morning. Let's go get breakfast, and I will tell you everything, okay?"

"But, you can't leave Clovis on the beach! It's the middle of the winter! He could be washed out to sea or stampeded."

"He asked me to leave him?" The statement came out more as a question. Annabeth shook her head and took his hand, leading him back to the beach.

"I swear to the gods, Percy. I don't know what you would do without me. I am 98% of your impulse control."

Percy smiled as she led him along. _Yes, she is_.


	15. Chapter 15: Animosity

_Warnings: bullying, mentions of self-harm, mention of death, self-loathing, panic attacks. Please DO NOT read if any of these themes upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses the themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

Nico opened his eyes and immediately shut them. The blinds had been opened and sunlight was streaming in. He rolled over, facing away from the window. He looked over at the bedside table. On it was a clock, revealing that it was noon and a tray of food. He was surprised to see how late it was. Usually, he didn't sleep all the way through the night, much less through the next day. He vaguely remembered waking up earlier, but couldn't remember why. He propped himself up to look at the breakfast tray. On it was a plate of bacon, toast, eggs, a mug of coffee, and a note. He picked up the note.

 _"Dearest Nico,_

 _I decided to surprise you with a romantic breakfast in bed. Surprise! Hope you are feeling a little better after this morning. Helping Percy with his dreams was a really great thing to do. But, you have to prepare better next time. Here's some breakfast so you can build up your strength. Come out and rejoin the world of the living when you're finished._

 _Your beloved,_

 _Will xxx_

 _PS I will be working in the infirmary until 2, but let me know if you need anything"_

Nico rolled his eyes, tucking the letter into his bedside drawer. He pulled the tray onto his lap, surprised to find himself starving. Within five minutes, he had finished about half of what was on his plate. He jumped out of bed, looking around for something to wear. He pulled on a clean shirt, black jeans, and Will's hoodie. It was black, so it did not divert from Nico's color scheme.

He wrapped his hands around the still warm coffee mug and opened the door. He stepped outside into the winter air. Even though the weather was regulated around the camp, the boundaries had allowed some snow to seep in. He glanced at the top of Half-Blood Hill and saw Festus and Peleus wrestling by the pine tree.

He looked around the camp. Decorations for the holiday season were popping up everywhere. A huge Christmas tree had been set up in the middle of the camp with presents below it. The hearth had been equipped with a marshmallow station. Snowmen had sprung up in the commons. The Hermes cabin was working on fortifying a fort, preparing for a major snowball fight with the Ares cabin. The Hecate cabin had magicked tinsel and wreaths on each cabin. The Aphrodite cabin had hidden mistletoe all around the camp, springing unexpected kisses on unsuspecting campers. The Hunters of Artemis had arrived that morning and set up their tents near the hearth. Wolves guarded the tents. Menorahs and stars of David were also sprinkled around camp to satisfy the other holidays as well.

Nico reached the dining pavilion to find Percy and Annabeth pouring over maps for the Capture the Flag game that night. They were battling the Romans and Hunters and Camp Half-Blood was determined to win. They looked up as Nico approached.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Percy called out. Nico rolled his eyes and sat down on the bench across from them.

"Percy, Annabeth. Where's everyone else?"

"Activities. We snuck out to plan for tonight. We have to win so we need to make sure this plan is perfect. We are team captains, after all." Percy said.

"How goes the battle strategies?" Nico asked.

"I don't know. We have a solid plan, but Reyna is worth all of our demigods combined. I don't know if we can defeat her, much less the Hunters, whom we have never beat before." Annabeth mused, scratching at the paper in front of her. "Our offense will be fine. It's the defense I'm worried about."

"I can call in some reinforcements," Percy and Annabeth looked up at Nico's quiet words. They were silent for a beat.

"Don't play with us, di Angelo," Annabeth warned. "This is very important to me."

"I can call on some dead soldiers to keep the Hunters at bay and help break through their ranks." Nico pulled the map over to him. He spun the paper around and held his hand out for Annabeth's pencil. She handed it over. He circled some locations on the map. "From my past explorations of the camp, these are huge hot spots for the dead. If we can put our flag here, then we can protect our flag using the dead. If we draw them over here…" he drew a line across the map "… they would be ambushed by a large group of soldiers."

"Oh, that's brilliant!" Annabeth exclaimed, pulling the map towards her and started making different calculations, muttering under her breath.

Percy looked eagerly over her shoulder. "Oh, I cannot wait to wipe that smug look off Reyna's face!" He looked up at Nico. "I could kiss you right now!"

"Missed your chance," Nico joked. "Remember? Not my type."

Percy rolled his eyes. "I know who your type is. Blond, tan, doctorly…" Percy trailed off, the grin sliding off his face. "I was so excited; I didn't even think…"

"Is that such a surprise?" Annabeth interrupted, but Percy ignored the comment.

"Are you up for this? It's draining to raise the dead. Are you prepared?"

"Percy, after everything I've been through, I can handle a couple of dead guys," Nico informed.

"I'm not doubting you at all, Nico. I just want you to know what you are getting yourself into."

"I know. And I'm ready. I can do this." _If I don't try now, when will I ever?_

"You can control them, right? Because I've seen you and them in action, and they can be very destructive." His eyes slid to the crack in the pavilion floor. The very one that Nico had made.

Annabeth looked up at Percy, exasperated to have a conversation interfering with her work. "Percy, Nico's powerful. He knows what he's doing. He can take care of himself."

"Thanks, Annabeth." She sent a smile in the direction of Nico before delving back into her work.

"Only if you're sure."

"Trust me, Perce. You trusted me to get the others to the Doors of Death. You can trust me to win Capture the Flag." Nico assured. "I know what I'm doing. I'm ready. But, you and Will have to let me be ready."

Percy thought about it and eventually nodded in affirmation. "Okay. I trust you. And I won't tell Will. Your secret is safe with me."

"What secret?" They whirled around. Thalia was approaching. Annabeth cursed and stuffed the plans into her backpack. "What are you planning?"

"Why would we tell you?" Nico asked. "Then we won't have the advantage."

Thalia scoffed. "Advantage? Right. How long has it been since Camp Half-Blood beat us?" She nodded to Percy. "Jackson."

"Grace, what's up girl?" He stepped forward to give the Hunter a hug. Thalia returned it.

Annabeth stood, hugging Thalia when Percy had finished. "How are the Hunters, Thalia?"

"Doing well, been recruiting all around the country," Thalia informed.

Nico scoffed. Bianca had been killed after the Hunters had 'recruited' her. "Recruiting, is that what you are calling it?"

Thalia snapped her head and zeroed in on Nico. "Little di Angelo, I thought you had left this camp."

"I returned."

"Haven't changed much. Still small. Still annoying," Thalia said. Nico picked up on the rudeness behind her words.

"At least I am not part of a secret cult that gets its members killed off," Nico spat.

"But, we get immortality, so that's a fair trade off, in my book."

"I won't be stuck in a hormonal teenager body, forever, like you will." Nico shot back.

There had always been tension between the two children of the Big Three, ever since Bianca had died. He had blamed her death on Percy and hated the Hunters for taking Bianca away in the first place. She had also done nothing to prevent her death while on the quest. Percy and Nico had made amends; Thalia and he had not. Both of them were notorious for holding grudges and being all-around stubborn.

"At least I don't have to stick around arrogant, egotistical men all the time. But, you like that don't you?"

"Thalia, enough," Annabeth warned.

"No, no. Let her talk. Bring it on, Hunter. You have a problem with who I like?" Nico wasn't letting anyone fight his own battles for him.

"What, the fact that you are gay? Pff, no. I could care less about that. I just have a problem with the male gender."

"Hey!" Percy exclaimed.

"What, it's part of my oath," Percy still had a pouty face on. "Oh my gods, you really are a Seaweed Brain. You are one of the only males I don't completely loathe." Thalia's eyes hardened as they slid back to Nico. "You, on the other hand… just watch your back tonight." She turned to walk down the hill.

"It's not my back I'd worry about if I was you, Thalia," Nico called to her retreating back. Annabeth sighed and followed her. Nico watched as they disappeared down the hill.

"Okay, what the heck was that? Because that was not friendly competition." Percy questioned, looking at Nico.

"I'm guessing she hasn't let Bianca's death go either," Nico muttered. He pushed away from the table, leaving his empty mug. "I'll see you later."

"Do you want to talk about this?" Percy called, trying to follow him.

Nico didn't answer, but Percy didn't true to pursue either. Nico mostly felt numb. Bianca's death day had past recently, right before the Solstice. Seeing Thalia had brought up bad memories of that. The numbness he had always felt when he was thinking about Bianca washed over him.

He veered from the path to his cabin and headed towards the arena. There was a sword lesson being taught by Jason. Nico slinked back in the shadows, waiting for the lesson to conclude., the arena to clear out. He leaned against a tree outside the arena, waiting, numbness soaking his being.

* * *

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Jason dismissed everyone. He waited until everyone filtered out, before grabbing Piper's hand. He and Piper walked out of the arena. Nico cleared his throat lightly, Only Piper noticed. She turned her head, her eyes latching onto Nico's. She opened her mouth to say something to Jason, but Nico impulsively shook his head no. She nodded, before turning back to Jason.

"Hey, I left something behind. How about you go on, and I'll catch up?" She suggested. Jason agreed, saying he would see her later.

Piper walked over to Nico. "Hey, what's going on? We didn't see you this morning during decorating."

"Yeah, I know."

Piper scrunched her eyebrows, picking up on his agitated state. "What's wrong?"

"I- I need your help., Nico admitted.

"Of course! Anything you need." She moved to put her hand on his shoulder. "What's troubling you?" He flinched away. "I'm not going to hurt you, Nico." Her words were laced with charmspeak, trying to calm him down.

"Don't do that. Don't charmspeak me. I don't need that."

"What do you need?" Her voice lost her musical charm.

"I- I have a lot of emotions happening, but I'm not feeling any of them. They are- I'm numb. I feel numb. You are good with emotions, you are a daughter of Aphrodite." He clenched his hand into a fist. "I need an outlet for my emotions."

"We can talk about whatever you want…" She started.

"I don't want to talk!" There was the anger. He took a calming breath. "I need to train. I need a sparring partner." He clarified.

"I'm not that good with a blade. Are you sure you don't want Jason? Or Percy?"

He felt a wave of terror. He was angry. He had been fine last night. "No. I don't- I don't want to talk or for them to worry. They'll make me talk. They don't- I need someone who understands just raw, untamed emotions. I just- I want you. I need it to be you."

Piper considered him for a moment, before nodding. "Let's go then."

He pushed himself off the tree and followed Piper back into the arena. He nervously paced around the weapons rack, feeling high-strung. He pulled out a sword that was relatively well-balanced. Piper also drew a sword. Nico twirled the sword in his hand. Piper mimicked him. She made the first lunge. He deflected her blade. He lunged back at her. They exchanged a few blows before sprinting apart. They continued clashing their swords.

They continued this little dance for about five minutes, Nico focusing his emotions into his movements., trying to get them out of his head. They all built upon him. Hit with a wave of rage, he spoke up.

"Is that the best you got?" he taunted.

"Bring it on, di Angelo." She challenged.

It was all he needed. He twisted his blade so it was under hers, and he nicked her arm.

"Nico," she breathed, but Nico was too focused to hear her. He held onto his anger. He disarmed her, her sword falling to the ground. She took a cautionary step back. Nico pushed forward.

She pulled out a knife and met the challenge of his blade. She improved considerably. She side-stepped him and grazed his arm. Nico hissed but ignored the pain. It had hurt, but it released the tension inside of him. He struck once more, causing her to drop the knife as well. He put the sword level on her throat.

"Nico." The tone of her voice stopped him. She had fear in her eyes.

He quickly lowered the sword and dropped it. Realization of what he had done washed over him. He had hurt Piper. He fell to his knees.

"Piper- I," his voice cracked.

"It's okay." She knelt beside him. "It doesn't hurt. And I nicked you as well. Everything is fine. It's just a part of sword-fighting."

Panic washed over him. "I- I- can't breathe." He forced out of his closing throat. He was having a panic attack.

Piper was frantically waving her hand in front of Nico's face, but he took no notice. His breathing became labored as the attack started. Somehow, Piper's voice broke through.

"Calm down," Her charmspeak caused his heart to slow a bit. "Look at me." His eyes shot up and locked with hers. "Just breathe deeply. In and out." He matched her breathing with hers. It took about two minutes, but he could breathe normally again. "Okay, good. What's going on in your mind? Tell me what's happening."

His voice was hoarse. "Bianca." Her name left his mouth involuntarily.

Piper's eyes widened in shock. "You are going to stay here, and I am going to get Will, okay?" He nodded. "I'll be right back."

"Okay." He agreed.

She quickly got up and left the arena, leaving Nico, arms around his knees, leaning against the weapons rack. He started breathing slowly. He closed his eyes and thought of his sister. He pictured her face, laughing as she dragged his arm. A tear rolled down his face. He hadn't allowed himself to process Bianca's death when it happened, much less a couple of days ago when it was her death day anniversary. He had done this to himself.

"You're pathetic." A voice said. Nico opened his eyes and stood quickly. He wiped the tears off his face, and whirled around, trying to locate who had spoken. Drew stepped out of the shadows, smirking.

"What do you want, Drew?" He scowled at her.

She ignored his question. "You are. Crying over your dead sister. News flash: we have all lost someone. You aren't special just because you lost your sister."

The anger returned. "What are you doing here?"

She looked down at her nails. "I forgot my bag in here after Jason's lesson. Oh, what I would do for that boy…" she fanned her face. Her daydream ended and her face got serious again. "So, you cry over your sister and then attack your own friends. Beating up women? That's a new low, even for someone like you…"

"Someone like me, what's that supposed to mean?" Nico asked.

"An outcast. You are gay and pathetic. You pretend to be an all-powerful demigod when in reality, you are weak. The only thing your powers are good for is hurting people." Drew spat.

"You need to watch what you are saying to me…"

She brought her hands up to her face and fake gasped. "Oh no, is the big bad bully going to hurt me too?"

"It was an accident. I didn't mean to hurt Pi…"

"But, you did. You can't control yourself. You always need someone to protect you. Where's Will? You are always running to him when things get tough."

"That's not true!"

"Or you just slice your wrists…"

"Shut up!" He screamed. A wave of energy burst from him. Drew's hair blew behind her as she took a step back. She looked scared but triumphant. She had won.

"You are weak, can't even control your emotions. You will end up hurting everyone here. So, do everyone a favor, and leave while you still can." Nico gave her a withering look and whipped away.

He wished he could forget Drew's harsh words, but they stuck in his head. He purposefully strode out of the arena. He noticed Piper and Will approaching, running hurriedly. Will was so happy yesterday; he didn't want to ruin that. He chose not to tell Will what had happened. Not use in creating unnecessary problems. He took a deep breath, composed himself as he wiped away the tears and blood. His face was completely devoid of emotion when they came up.

"Nico, are you okay?" Will grabbed his arm, looking at the graze. Nico flinched, unable to stop himself. Will looked hurt; it had been months since Nico had flinched away from him. He carefully wrapped Nico's arm.

When he finished, Nico retracted his arm and spoke in an emotionless voice. "I'm okay. Piper, are you sure you are okay? I'm so sorry that I hurt you."

"I'm okay, it's just a graze. Getting these injuries during sword fighting happens all the time. It's an occupational hazard." She smiled reassuringly.

"What happened, Nico?" Will asked.

Nico shrugged. "I panicked because I nicked Piper, that's all. I'm okay now."

Will narrowed his eyes. He knew he was lying. "Piper seemed pretty concerned…"

Nico looked at Piper, begging her not to say anything. "I'm sorry I scared you. I'm fine."

"Only if you are sure…" Will trailed off, as if giving Nico the opportunity to say something.

Nico scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Will, I said I'm fine. I can…"

"Take care of yourself, I know." Will finished. "If you're sure… Let's go to lunch then." He looked at Piper, who was still looking at Nico. "Care to join us, Piper?"

"Of course. We can talk over lunch." She answered.

"Perfect!" Will said. He laced hands with Nico, who stopped himself from flinching. He breathed deeply, trying to keep the guilt from lying to Will at bay.


	16. Chapter 16: Glances

_Warnings: violence, homophobia. Please do not read if any of these themes upset you. I do NOT support any of the ideas expressed in this chapter._

 _Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses the themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

Dinner had concluded. It was game time. Stacks of armor and weapons had been laid out across the tables. Chiron was standing at the front, going over ground rules. Will scanned the pavilion for Nico. After lunch, Will and Nico had cozied up in the Hades cabin, watching movies. Nico had been distracted, but eventually, he had fallen asleep. Nico was far more alert and focused when he had woken up.

Will had left the cabin and Nico had only emerged around five minutes before dinner. He was hiding something, but Will couldn't figure out what. Will hadn't had to the opportunity to talk to him yet. He finally spotted his boyfriend, hunched over a map with Percy and Annabeth. Will quietly made his way over to them.

"What are y'all doing?" Percy snatched up the map.

"Nothing!" Nico said defensively. Will raised his eyebrows.

"I might not be on your team, but I'm not a spy either." Will wasn't participating. With Romans and Hunters, there was too much risk of potential injury. Will was going to be a battlefield medic.

"Just trying to keep it on the down low." Will picked up on his boyfriend's lie.

"What are you hiding?"

Nico's face turned red. "I'm not…"

Will pulled Nico away. They went behind the amphitheater. "What's going on? First, Piper said you had a panic attack, but you said you were fine. Then, Percy said you had a fight with Thalia. You were super distracted during the movie. Then, you disappeared for hours on end. Now, you are hiding something from me. So, I will ask again, what's going on?"

"I'm fine." Nico brushed him off.

"Nico," Will started.

"Will, I am okay. You have to learn to trust me."

"Are you sure you are okay to compete tonight?"

"For gods sake, Will, yes, I am. Stop trying to protect me so much. I'm not weak. I'm fine." Nico tried to walk away angrily. Will grabbed his wrist and pulled him back in.

"I'm sorry. I'm just worried."

Nico's composure melted. "I'm okay. If something was wrong, I would tell you." Will put his hand on Nico's face.

"I love you, you know that, right?" Nico nodded, kissing the inside of Will's palm. Will melted at the sight.

He grabbed Nico's jacket, pushing him against the amphitheater wall. He kissed him. A huge chunk of tension evaporated from Nico's body and Will sensed that he would have collapsed if Will hadn't been holding him up. He smirked and focused back on Nico. His lips parted and allowed Will entrance. Nico grabbed Will's hair and pulled. Will gasped. They danced around for a while before the kiss broke off.

Nico's voice was low. "If that isn't proof of the way we feel about each other, I don't know what will convince you."

"Yeah," Will said breathlessly, pleasantly surprised by Nico's reaction. Nico planted a quick kiss on his lips.

"It's game time." He said as he walked away, back towards the pavilion.

Will composed himself for a second. The way Nico made him feel. He took a deep breath and walked back towards the crowd as well. He needed to focus. He had a job to do.

* * *

Nico's POV:

He walked back to the pavilion with a smirk on his face. He rejoined Percy and Annabeth.

"Did he figure it out?" Percy questioned.

"No, I managed to make him forget about it," Nico informed, grinning.

"Oh, is that why you have that arrogant smirk on your face?" Nico didn't respond. He watched as Will, breathless, re-entered the pavilion to stand by the rest of his cabin.

Nico listened to the end of Chiron's speech. "… our medics will be standing by, led by Mr. William Solace." He indicated to Will.

"Are you sure you are prepared for this?" Percy asked.

"Hey, I'll be fine. If I have any problems, Will can rescue me yet again. But I won't. Our plan will work." Nico explained.

"Only if you're sure." Percy was looking off into the distance. He jerked his head in the direction of someone. "Why is that guy giving you the stink eye?"

Nico turned slowly, looking for the person that Percy indicated. A chill went down Nico's spine as he gained eye contact with the Ares kid who had given him the death glare. It was the same camper who had beat him up at the beginning of December. He flashed back to the moment.

* * *

 _Nico emerged from his cabin for the first time that day. He hadn't left his cabin all day, so he had eaten at all. He refused to sleep as well. He felt very faint. He thought that fresh air might be good for him. He walked on the outskirts of the forest when he heard voices._

 _"_ _Who do you think you are, thinking you can prank me? And get away with it? Nice try! And now that I know your little secret, I can tell the whole camp. I will humiliate you just as you have humiliated me." A gruff voice barked out._

 _A thin voice whispered. "Please don't! I'm so sorry. I'll do anything, but don't say anything. Please!"_

 _"_ _I should, you know. You are disgusting and should be treated as such."_

 _Nico silently stalked him into the forest, coming across a huge, burly camper holding a twig of a camper by his neck against a tree. Nico recognized the bulging muscle as a member of the Ares cabin. The small boy looked like he was a son of Hermes._

 _"_ _Please, stop. I'll do anything…" The Ares camper tightened his grip._

 _"_ _That's enough." The Ares camper whipped around, loosening his grip. The son of Hermes breathed in deeply. "Let him go."_

 _"_ _Well, well, well, if it isn't the son of Hades." The Ares camper smirked._

 _"_ _Yeah, and I don't appreciate you beating up this camper."_

 _"_ _Oh, and who's going to defend him? You?" He threw his head back in laughter. "Just add that to your resume: Nico di Angelo, dead beat and protector of the gays."_

 _"_ _Is that what this is about? His sexuality? Seriously?" Nico was incredulous._

 _"_ _And the fact that this little rat tried to prank me." He shook the kid. "He insulted the Ares cabin and insults real men everywhere."_

 _"_ _What, you are going to take your homophobia out on a twelve-year-old? Your friends will be so impressed that you could handle him." Nico hit a nerve with the camper. He released the boy who quickly ran away. Nico and the Ares camper were left alone._

 _"_ _You better watch what you say. I can destroy you in three seconds. How impressive would that, me taking down one of the sons of the Big Three."_

 _Nico spread out his arms. "Bring it on, beef boy."_

 _The boy angrily snorted and pulled out his sword. Nico withdrew his. His exhaustion disappeared, replaced by adrenaline. He was going to take this homophobic bastard down. The Ares camper charged, but his temper clouded his judgment. Nico merely sidestepped him and sliced part of his hair. The camper turned and charged again, this time focusing his power. He swung his sword; Nico intercepted it. The Ares camper, however, had a lot more brute force than Nico, so his sword was pushed down. He had to quickly pull it back up and block the next thrust. They continued like this, with Nico mostly playing defense, for about ten minutes._

 _"_ _This is getting nowhere!" The Ares camper groaned._

 _"_ _Forfeiting?" Nico teased. His opponent laughed._

 _"_ _Never."_

 _The Ares camper dropped his sword and came barreling at Nico. He didn't have time to swing his sword before he was tackled by the hulk of a man pinning him to the ground. His sword was kicked out of his hand and held down Nico with his own weight. He started raining down punches, One, two, three, four. Nico finally had enough sense to summon some skeletons, but it drained all of the fight out of him. He laid limp as the Ares camper kept punching him._

 _Suddenly, the weight was lifted off him. He opened his eyes to find three skeletons restraining the camper. Nico slowly sat up. He pushed himself off the ground. He staggered forward and fell against a tree. The skeletons staggered as well, sensing his drain in energy. The Ares camp was able to push them off. He grabbed his sword and within seconds, the skeletons crumbled to the ground. The camper launched himself at Nico, forcing him to the ground again. He started kicking him in the stomach, legs, arms, everywhere. The pain was unbearable._

 _After what seemed like hours, the kicks subsided. Nico's collar was grabbed and found himself face to face with the brute._

 _"_ _That'll teach you not to mess with me, di Angelo. Have a nice nap." He dropped Nico and picked up his sword. He strode out of the forest as Nico blacked out._

* * *

His shoulder was being shaken. He blinked himself out of his memory to find Percy staring at him.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked, warily. "You zoned out there for a few seconds."

"I'm fine," Nico's voice crashed, revealing his panic. "I'm- fine. Just leave it."

Percy arched an eyebrow. "If you say so. The game is starting in a half an hour. Ready to start?"

"Yeah, let's do this." Nico agreed.

* * *

Will's POV:

He watched as Nico gained eye-contact with someone and turned deathly pale. He looked to see who he was staring at, but only saw Drew link arms with a camper with burly arms. She whispered something in his ear and he did the same. Will shook his head and watched as Percy clapped Nico on the back and led him away. He started to follow, but found himself blocked by Annabeth.

"What are you doing?"

"My job. I'm scouting the woods for danger spots. I'm also looking for central locations for my camp." He lied so fluidly, it scared him.

"Or you're following you boyfriend." She said point-blank.

"He's up to something. I'm just trying to protect him."

"I can make someone team up with him tonight to make sure he stays safe." Annabeth suggested.

"Would you? And don't let him know I asked you?" He felt a wave of guilt. He was going against his promise to Nico, but he just wanted to keep him safe.

"Of course! I'll ask Jason to watch out for him."

"Thank you so much." He felt a wave of relief.

"Now, don't you have a job to do?"


	17. Chapter 17: Games

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses the themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

The conch sounded. It was game time. He and Jason were currently perched in a tree. After fruitless attempts to get Jason to leave him alone, Nico finally allowed him to stay if he kept quiet. They were both overlooking the empty clearing where a decoy flag stood. The real flag was hidden deeper in the forest. Only the three guards and Nico knew where it was. They couldn't afford the location getting out when campers were taken prisoner by the opposing team.

Percy, Annabeth, and Clarisse were leading the offense. Nico and Jason were in charge of the defense. Where they were now was their first line of defense. The rest of their defense was hidden in the trees as well. As soon as they started to get overwhelmed, Nico would summon reinforcements. Now all they had to do was wait for the first wave of attacks.

"So, remind me of our plan again?"

Nico scowled. "I thought you were a strategist?" Jason shrugged. Nico looked around to make sure no one was listening. He spoke in a whisper. "We have multiple decoy flags set up around the forest. Each decoy is in a hot spot for skeletons. Every time we draw a wave of Hunters and Romans in, we will overwhelm and overtake them with the dead. This will either buy the offense enough time to get their flag or reduce their numbers drastically so we can overtake their offense."

Jason nodded. "It's a solid plan." He was silent before speaking again. "I dislike all this waiting. I'm used to offense when I just jump in and attack."

"Patience, my young padawan."

"You watched Star Wars?" Nico felt embarrassed.

"Yeah, Will started showing me the movies. They are interesting."

"Aw, man. It's such a good franchise. Just wait until you get to-"

Nico held up a hand to stop Jason. He heard a faint noise. The sound of a branch breaking. Connor Stoll came running into the clearing. He had been their lookout. They were here. The forest became silent as three Hunters entered the clearing. Their steps were soundless. The apparent leader of the three zeroed in on the decoy flag. She indicated to each of the girls the direction she wanted them to take when approaching the flag. They moved slowly and silently toward it, on the lookout for traps.

Nico watched closely. He was waiting for her to step on a certain point before he gave the signal to ambush. Three more steps. Two more. One more-There! He focused on the ground beneath her feet. Suddenly, she leaped back in surprise as a skeletal hand broke the surface. That was the signal.

Demigods came raining down on the three Hunters. They whirled around, shocked to be ambushed like that. They began shooting arrow after arrow and fought with hand to hand combat, but they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of campers. Three against eight, they didn't stand a chance.

Within moments, they were tied up and three campers began leading them to the prison. Jason and Nico high fived. They didn't even have to leave the tree to defeat that group. Jason grabbed Nico by the underarms and they flew to the next decoy site. It was being guarded by two Hermes campers, as to lessen the suspicion that it was a decoy. Also, hidden in the trees, there were about five demigods ready to attack. Nico and Jason hid in the tree line. They arrived just as Frank led four Hunters into the clearing. His eyes took in the flag greedily. But then, he gained a look of wariness.

"That was too easy." He muttered. He looked around at the tree-line, gaining eye-contact with Nico. "Ambush-"

Before he could finish, he was tackled by Butch, the Iris head counselor. Being the military strategist he was, he easily overpowered the son of Iris. The four Hunters were holding their own against the aggressive demigods. One broke off and tried to grab the flag, but as it was a decoy, it disintegrated in her hands.

"It's a trick!" she exclaimed, shooting an arrow at Jason. He sidestepped it and was about to jump into battle, but Nico stopped him.

"Wait, let me do this." Jason looked at him, unsure, but quickly nodded.

Nico closed his eyes. Five or six skeletons broke through the surface. They quickly took down one Hunter, but they were being sliced down by Frank as fast as Nico could summon them. Finally, a huge tide brought Frank to the ground. The dead had strict orders only to bring the enemy down, not kill them. Nico had made sure of that. The Hunters and demigods kept fighting, but Nico couldn't jump in to help because Lou Ellen ran up to him in a panic.

"A team led by Reyna and Thalia just approached one of the decoys. They are getting close to the real flag." Lou Ellen was one of the guards of the flag. If she had led her post, then it must have been bad. Jason quickly grabbed Nico and they shot off in the sky. Nico indicated which direction to go and he heard the battle before he saw it. The seven demigods were quickly being overrun by Reyna, Thalia, and their mix of eight Hunters and Romans. Nico touched down in a crouch and immediately flung his arms out. Dozens of skeletons broke through the surface.

"Di Angelo!" Thalia screamed as three skeletons brought her down. He smirked, but that was soon forgotten as he was hit with a wave of nausea. The skeletons slowed down, picking up on his loss of energy. Jason grabbed his shoulder and Nico steadied again.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." He stated as the feeling of lightheadedness passed.

"Are you sure? I can go-" he got cut off as Reyna tried to bring her sword down on him. He instinctually brought his blade up just in time.

"That's a cheap move and you know it, Reyna," Jason said angrily.

"Well, sometimes that's what you have to do to get the upper hand, Jason." He pushed her back. Nico rolled out of the way as he began teasing her.

"Just like old times, praetor?" Jason taunted.

"You forgot that in old times, I always won." Reyna jested.

"Then let's rewrite the past."

Jason ran up and swung his sword. She deflected and they began exchanging blows. The way they moved so fluidly; now that was swordsmanship. He shook his head. He had been distracted. He looked up to survey the rest of the fight.

Most of the skeletons had been taken down by arrows, but some were still He watched as Miranda Gardiner knocked out a Roman with the butt of her sword. He grinned and continued surveying the scene. At the edge, he noticed Thalia sneaking away in the direction of the actual flag. He felt a rush of adrenaline and raced after her. He avoided branches and sidestepped trees. He made to the base.

Thalia was working on overtaking the camp. Lou Ellen was the last camper standing. She hurled balls of her magic of Thalia, but Thalia deflected them and brought Lou Ellen to her knees. The daughter of Zeus tore the flag from the tree it had been stashed in. She turned only to find her way blocked by Nico.

"Not so fast, Grace."

"Move or I'll move you, di Angelo." She threatened. She hit her wrist and her Aegis shield popped out. It took all of Nico's willpower not to shrink back.

"Not gonna happen. You aren't going to win this one."

She smirked. "And what makes you so sure of that?"

"Because I'm here." Ten skeletons broke through the earth. Nico directed them towards Thalia. She summoned lightning and disintegrated them all. Nico felt drained of his energy.

"None of that fancy, underworld stuff. Sword to sword combat." She threatened, her sword point aimed at Nico. Nico gulped down his nausea and pulled out his sword.

"Gladly." He struck. Sadly, Thalia was one step ahead of him. She jumped out of the way and nicked his arm. He swung back around, meeting her sword. They exchanged a few blows. Her expert swordsmanship was evident. And Nico was out of practice. She quickly disarmed him and pushed him down.

"Stand down, di Angelo." He kicked her feet out from under her. He tried to grab the flag from her hand but she shocked him.

"Foul, you said no powers." She grinned evilly.

"I lied." She held out her hand and Nico was blasted back with lightning. He flew past the trees and landed just beyond the clearing. He hit the ground hard. He was hit was a wave of nausea from summoning all the skeletons and the force with which he hit the ground. He blacked out.

* * *

Jason's POV:

Reyna had finally discovered that the flag was a decoy. She pushed Jason back and grabbed the flag. It disintegrated in her hands.

"Nice move, Grace. Where's the real flag?"

"You have to get through me first, praetor."

At his words, she pushed him back into the fray. The battle was still continuing around them. Hunters kept cutting down the reinforcements Nico had promised. Campers clashed their swords with the bows of the Hunters. He focused back on defeating Reyna and taking her captive. She had already sliced the sleeve of his shirt off and he had dented her armor. They were evenly matched so the only way the battle would end is when one of them passed out from exhaustion. Fortunately, they didn't have to reach that point.

A noise in the battle froze both of them in their tracks. All at once, the skeletons collapsed into piles of bones. That could mean one of two things. One, the game had concluded and someone had won, making Nico call off their forces. Or Nico had passed out or overstrained himself. Annabeth had warned Jason that Nico was still recovering and if he overstrained himself, he might permanently be a shadow. Jason and Reyna gained eye contact, assuming the latter.

"Nico-" Jason started.

She nodded. They ran in the direction that Nico had disappeared in not twenty minutes beforehand. They ran along the forest path, dodging trees and leaping over bushes. Jason prayed that Nico was alright. They continued at their rapid pace until arriving at the base. They watched as Thalia defeated the last of the campers, grabbed the flag, and bolted past Jason and Reyna, who let her go. Jason and Reyna looked frantically around for Nico. Lou Ellen slowly pushed herself off the ground.

"Why did you let her past? She's getting away!" She complained.

"Nico's been injured badly and we need to find him."

"He was fine when I saw him a few minutes ago but I did pass out for a while. When I woke, he was gone and Thalia was grabbing the flag. Is that why all the skeletons collapsed?"

"Yea, because the game hasn't ended. If he collapsed from exhaustion, he could be halfway to the shadow world by now." Jason was agitated. Annabeth had given him one job and he had failed. He needed to find Nico before she and Will killed him.

Reyna looked around. "Let's go back to base, see if he followed someone else back."

Jason nodded and followed in the direction Thalia had gone in not one minute before. They reached the border, to find Thalia confronting a panicked Will. Percy and Annabeth were creeping to the border with the opposing teams flag. Chiron was at the boundary line overlooking everything.

"Move out of the way and let me pass, you nimrod!"

"Have you seen Nico? You are the first to come from that side of the line. Did all the skeletons collapse on your side as well?"

Thalia pushed Will to the ground. "Out of the way, I don't care about you and your stupid boyfriend. I'm winning this thing."

Chiron came galloping over, blocking off Thalia. "Foul! You can't attack a medic."

"I thought there weren't any rules?" Chiron considered this. "And if that's your logic, I call a foul on him for interference."

The run in distracted Thalia enough so she failed to notice Percy and Annabeth run over the boundary.

Chiron grinned, blowing the conch. Percy and Annabeth let out a cry of victory. He kissed her. Camp Half-Blood had finally won. The Hunters and campers who had gathered to see the action had started yelling at each other and insults were flying.

Thalia threw the flag to the ground in anger. She whipped out her sword, pointing it at Will.

"Hey!-" Jason called.

"Ms. Grace put the sword down!" Chiron commanded. Will put his hands up in surrender.

"You-you son of a bitch, you threw the game! You made me lose! I'm going to rip your-"

"That's enough!" Reyna said forcefully. She put her on Thalia's shoulder, forcing her to lower the blade. "At this point, it doesn't matter who won or lost-"

"You're on their side?!" Thalia asked.

"What matters is that Nico could be seriously injured!" The surrounding chatter fell silent.

"What? Have you seen him?" Will asked, standing quickly.

"No, but his 'reinforcements' wouldn't have crumbled in the way that they did if he was okay. He must have depleted his energy." Jason explained, rapid-fire.

"Jason, I thought you were supposed to be with him?! We knew this might happen-" Annabeth was cut off by Will.

"Wait, you knew about this? That he was going to be using his powers?! And you didn't think to mention it-" Will started angrily.

"Shouldn't we be focused on, finding Nico?" Percy emphasized. "Considering he might be fading away?"

"I know where he is." Everyone turned as Thalia spoke.

"Where is he?" Will asked.

"Why should I tell you? You all are a bunch of cheaters."

"This is not the time, Thalia," Jason said.

"Don't lecture me."

"Where is he, Thalia? This is serious. He could be really hurt. Now, where is he?" Annabeth demanded. The two of them had a glare off before Thalia rolled her eyes and gestured in the direction of the camper's base.

"He and I were fighting at the base and I shocked him. He's just beyond the tree line of the base clearing."

Jason led the group to the base. The group spread out to search for Nico. He saw a figure sprawled on the ground. He zeroed in on it and realized that it was Nico.

"Will." He said. Will turned and Jason pointed.

"Nico!" Will shouted.

* * *

Will's POV:

He ran and skidded on his knees until he was in front of his boyfriend. Jason followed dropping to his knees as well. Thankfully, Nico was still solid. Will breathed a sigh of relief. Nico was just passed out. Everything was going to be okay.

"He's fine, just passed out. Let's flip him over and give him some ambrosia." The two boys looked at each other and carefully turned Nico over. His face was peaceful. His clothes were a little singed from Thalia's lightning, but otherwise, he looked unhurt besides normal scrapes and bruises.

"I'm glad he's okay because I'm going to be very angry when he wakes up." He looked at Jason. "You knew he was going to summon all those skeletons?"

"I-" he started but was cut off by Percy.

"I knew about it. He wanted to do it, and I knew there was no stopping him. We tried," he indicated go himself and Annabeth. "But his mind was already made up the moment he saw our plans."

"Well, I'm just praying to my father that he doesn't fade away. He's not summoned that many skeletons in a very long time." With that, Will scooped up his boyfriend in his arms. He started walking back to camp. On his way, he stopped in front of Thalia. "I'm so glad that winning your game was more important than the safety of the campers."

"How was I supposed to know he wasn't strong enough and would collapse?"

Her words sent an uproar through the surrounding demigods.

"Don't you ever say that again-"

"-more powerful than you-"

"-he is strong enough-"

"-watch what you say about him-"

Thalia held her hand up. "Alright, alright, poor choice of words." He looked back at Will. "Even though I was unaware of his conditions, I would like to extend my humblest apologies for hurting your boyfriend."

Will rolled his eyes as he walked away. "Such a sincere apology." He carried his boyfriend out of the woods and into the infirmary. Once he woke up, they would have a very long conversation.


	18. Chapter 18: Truths

_Warnings: mentions of self-harm_

 _Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed within this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

Nico was currently glaring at Will and Will was feeling pretty cranky himself. At about 1 in the morning, Nico had screamed himself awake and started to turn to shadows. Will, after a couple hours, had stabilized him and forced him to stay up the rest of the night to make sure he didn't fade away. He informed Nico that he would dissolve completely if he tried to summon that many skeletons again without proper training. He had tried to open up discussion about what had happened, but after the death glare from his boyfriend, he stopped trying. They had stayed up all night without talking. Hence Will's crankiness and Nico's glare. He took Nico's pulse and tried, once again, to get his boyfriend to talk to him.

"Your vitals are stable. You can go if you want." At his words, Nico disconnected the IV and sprang out of the bed. "Nico, please talk to me." The son of Hades walked past Will without saying anything. "Nico, please." Nico whipped around to face him.

"What do you want me to say? You are just going to yell at me. And you continue to overprotect me, even after I have asked you not to. So, what's the point of me talking?"

"I'm not going to yell at you. I was just worried."

"Well, you don't have to be worried. I'm okay."

Will scoffed. "Yeah okay, and my mother is the Queen of England."

"That's what I'm talking about. You are acting like I'm weak and pathetic."

"That's not what I'm saying Nico! I'm worried that you are going to hurt yourself, because you are so powerful, not because you are weak. Every time you get hurt or pass out, I worry. I'm scared. Am I not allowed to worry about you? Or be scared that you are going to get hurt?"

"I'm not worried about that. Anything I do, you can fix. So stop worrying about-"

"But what if something happens that I can't fix?" Will screamed, silencing Nico. "What if you come to me bleeding, expecting me to fix you and you die in my arms? What if that happens?! Because it's happened to me before. That's why I have the same scars you do. Everyone puts so much faith in me, but what if I fail? What if I can't save you? And you die? That's no longer on you, that's on me. And I will deal with that guilt for the rest of my life." Nico didn't say anything so Will continued. "That's why I worry. Not because I doubt you or your abilities, but because I doubt myself and my own abilities to fix you if you get hurt."

Nico was silent for another minute before breaking it. "I made a mistake. I thought I could handle it, but I guess I couldn't." He sighed. "I'm sorry for making you worry. I... I didn't realize that that is what you were worrying about. I thought that you thought I was weak and needed to be protected."

Will walked up to and grabbed Nico's hand. "I would never think you are weak. You are the most powerful demigod I know."

"I'm sorry for worrying you."

"It's okay, just try to avoid doing it in the future."

Nico laughed. "Not going happen. It comes with the job."

"Just try to be more careful, okay?"

"I will. Thank you for helping me."

Will kissed Nico's forehead. "There's nothing else I'd rather be doing."

Nico smiled and started walking out of the infirmary. He looked behind and found that Will wasn't following. "Aren't you coming with me?"

Will smirked. "Believe it or not, you were not the only injury last night. Half of the camp is in the infirmary. The Hunters and Romans play tough."

Nico looked hesitant. "I could... stay and help if you wanted."

"Nah, go hang out with everyone. I'll be fine." Will smiled. "I promise."

With that, Nico walked out of the room. Will sighed and started taking the sheets off the bed. They needed to be washed for whoever the next patient was. He threw them in the laundry basket. As he was going to the cabinet to get move sheets, Kayla walked into the room.

"I'm about to make the infirmary a no-yelling zone. Your fight almost woke up half of the hospital."

Will pulled the sheets into his arms. "I'm sorry. We just had to talk about what happened." He dropped the sheets onto the barren bed. Kayla crossed the room to the opposite side of the bed. They unfolded the fitted sheet and tucked it under the mattress.

"Did you mean everything you said?" She asked, unfolding the top sheet.

"Were you eavesdropping?"

"It's not eavesdropping if your screaming wakes the entire infirmary." Will didn't say anything. She rolled her eyes. "Fine, I might have camped outside the door to hear what you guys were fighting about this time."

Will pulled a new cover over the pillow. "How much did you hear of it?"

"Almost all of it," she confessed. "What scars do you have?"

Will felt his heart drop. All sound and movement in the room stopped. He had said that in the heat of the moment and didn't realize that someone could be listening. Only Nico knew about the scars that lined his wrist. He turned so he wouldn't have to look at Kayla.

"Kayla, I..." he struggled for the right words as he busied himself with the empty IV bag. "I was talking about how since are both demigods, we have similar injuri-"

"Don't you dare try to lie to me. What did you mean when you said that?" She interrupted. He didn't say anything. "Look at me!" He didn't move. She strode around the bed and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Will, please tell me. I'm your sister. You're my best friend. Please tell me."

"I cut myself sometimes." He blurted out. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open.

"Oh, Will..."

"Look, it's not a big deal. I don't do it often..." he took the IV bag and tried to walk away. She grabbed him by the arm.

"Not a big deal..." she muttered. She stared daggers into his eyes. "Will, why, why on earth would you do something like that? You are a healer, you know the damage it does. Just look at your boyfriend! Look at it has destroyed him."

"I know, Kayla. I know..."

"I need to see them." Alarm bells rang out in Will's head. He drew his arms into his chest.

"Kayla, no."

"I need to see how bad they are to figure out if you need help." Will started backing away.

"I said no."

She grabbed him by the wrist, forcing the IV bag out of his hands to the floor. She overturned his wrist. Tiny scars were present on one wrist, unable to be seen unless one knew what they were looking for. She looked toward the other wrist, which had five or six bracelets over it. They gained eye contact. Kayla started to remove the bracelets as Will struggled to get away. She unclasped some of the bracelets and tore off the other ones in the process. The other wrists had these same scars as well as one inflamed red one that was still fresh.

After about a minute, Will felt uncomfortable and pulled his hands away from Kayla. He grabbed the IV bag off the floor and threw it in the trash. He then walked over to the counter, and planted his hand on it, back facing Kayla. He was ashamed of it, but he had made one of those scars that morning when Nico was passed out. He felt personally responsible for his boyfriend's injuries. That's why he had put bracelets on.

"Will, please talk to me."

He turned around slowly. "I have nothing to discuss."

She sighed. "Will you please tell me why? What caused you to do this?"

"What do you think, Kayla? Why do you think I did this?"

Her eyes filled with sadness. "None of those deaths were your fault, Will."

"But they were. They all died because I was not able to save that. That's on me. That's on me."

Kayla came over to him. "You can't think like that. It will destroy you. You are a healer. Death is part of the job."

"Well, it shouldn't be! I should be good enough where I don't have any deaths."

"You can't prevent them, Will. Sometimes it's just their time to go to Hades, and there's nothing to be done."

"There should be." They were silent. A tear ran down Will's face. Kayla opened her mouth to continue the conversation when Brandon came into the room, speaking loudly.

"-the Ares kid is asking for you..." he froze in his tracks. He looked from Kayla to Will. Will turned rapidly, so he wouldn't see the tears on his face. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, what do you need Brandon?" Kayla asked.

"The IV fell out of the Ares camper and I don't... I don't know how to put it back it. I missed that day of training because I was practicing my mus-" he started rambling before Kayla put a hand up, stopping his vomit of information.

"Wait a moment please, I'll be out in a second," Kayla said.

"No, Kayla, go with him now." Will turned, having composed himself. "Teach him how to put in an IV. We all need to be trained in music and archery as much as we do healing. Right, Brandon?"

"Right! Yes, Will-"

"Hang on, I want to finish-" Kayla started.

"Go now Kayla." Will commanded.

"You can't tell me what to do!" She complained.

Will gave her a withering look. She looked like she wanted to shrink back. "I can and I will. I have seniority and I am Head Healer. You are not. Go. Now."

"We will finish this conversation later." She promised. She left the room with Brandon. He heard his name mentioned as they walked away, perks to having enhanced hearing from his father.

"I didn't realize that Will could be that scary." Brandon sounded terrified.

"Me neither. But apparently, there are a lot of things I don't know about him."

She had meant for him to hear that. Will's heart fell hearing Brandon say he was scary. He wasn't supposed to be scary. That's not who he was. _I must be overtired and high strung because I stayed up all night_ Will thought. _I need to sleep._ He finished clearing up the room and walked out the infirmary, Kayla's eyes boring holes into his back as the doors swung shut behind him.


	19. Chapter 19: Downtown

_Warning: violence_

 _Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed within this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

Nico shuffled his feet. He slowly raised his hand and knocked on the door. A girl with her hair in rollers opened the door.

"Oh my gods, you're Nico? You're with Will right?"

"Er... yeah, can I please see..."

The girl stopped him. A few of the other Aphrodite campers gathered behind her. "Can I just say that you and him are absolutely adorable?"

Nico felt himself grow red. "Is Piper here?"

"Oh, is that why you are here? No, she left a while ago. But I mean you could come in and wait for her. We could maybe change your color scheme..." the girls started to reach out to pull Nico into the cabin. Nico took a step back.

"No, I'm... I'm really okay..."

"Lacey!" Annabeth's voice sounded. The Aphrodite girls stopped. "What are you doing?" Nico looked at Annabeth in relief.

"He was just-"

He stepped away and towards Annabeth. "Where's Piper?"

"Jason's cabin, I'm assuming." She informed. "Want to walk over there?"

"Please." Nico quickened his steps, walking away from the Aphrodite cabin.

"Bye ladies!" Annabeth called over her shoulder. She turned back around, addressing Nico. "What's up? Why do you need Piper?"

"I need her help with some Will stuff. She's kinda good with that stuff."

She laughed. "Yeah she is. I'm not very good with the whole relationship thing. My idea of flirting was telling Percy that he drools."

Nico snickered, the news amusing him. "He drools when he sleeps?"

Annabeth turned pink. "Oops, he probably doesn't want that information spread."

"My lips are sealed. Except to his face, of course."

"He needs some teasing in his life. He thinks he's the world. Especially after winning Capture the Flag. He believes that it was all his doing." Annabeth stated.

"I mean he has been a part of two major prophecies, he's allowed to feel important."

"We couldn't have done it without you though Nico. Are you okay after your fight with Thalia?"

Nico sighed. "I'm still recovering, but I'll be okay."

Annabeth stopped him. "I want to apologize for the way she acted. I have no idea why she treated you that way."

Nico shrugged uncomfortably. "I'm used to it at this point. And you don't have to apologize for you. You aren't responsible for her."

"It's just unfair of her to treat you that way."

"It's a prejudice that I will have to deal with for the rest of my life, Annabeth. Just like I will have to deal with all the terrible memories."

"That doesn't make it okay or fair."

"I know, but it is what it is." He said. "Now, I need Piper."

"Of course." She gestured to Cabin Number 1, which was right in front of them. Nico started up the stairs when Annabeth spoke up again. "Hey," he turned to look at her. "I am here for you, any time you want to talk."

"Thanks Annabeth." He continued the rest of the way up the stairs. He knocked on the door more confidently, knowing he wouldn't be bombarded by people attempting to give him a makeover. It took a minute, but Jason then opened the door, blocking the view to the inside of his cabin. His glasses were crooked, his hair tousled.

"Nico? Hi... what... what are you doing here?"

"I'm not here to make out with you unlike some people." He pushed the door open, revealing Piper quickly getting off the bed. "Hey Piper."

"Nico, hi!" She said, making her way to the door. "What...what are you doing? You aren't going to report us, are you?"

"That depends on if you are willing to help me." Fear crossed her eyes. "I'm kidding, but I do need some help."

"Yeah, of course, what can we do for you?" Jason asked.

Nico coughed. "Um, I actually just need help from... Piper."

Jason reddened. "Oh, of course. I guess I'll just-" he ducked back into his cabin. Piper rolled her eyes, closing the door.

"How can I help you, Nico?" Piper asked. "What's going on….?"

"I need help picking out a gift for Will for Christmas."

Piper laughed nervously. "You are aware that Christmas is in 2 days, right?"

"I know," Nico said. "That's why I'm asking for help."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I don't know."

Piper smiled. "Okay, well, we can try to find something. There would be nothing in the camp store that he would want, so we could order something online or go into town to find something."

"Shadow travel would be fastest-"

"I'm sorry, no." Piper smiled. "That's not happening."

"Excuse me?"

"Nico, I have seen you get hurt by shadow travel too many times. It's not happening on my watch."

"I can't ride Pegasi, Piper; they hate me. And... we don't have permission to leave camp, exactly. So I would like to remain as inconspicuous as possible."

She pursed her lips. "So, no one knows we are leaving?"

"They wouldn't let us leave, even if we asked. Something about it being too dangerous for powerful demigods. At any rate, it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission." Piper didn't say anything, so Nico continued. "You don't have to come with me if you don't feel comfortable, but I would really appreciate your help."

She considered her options. "I'll go with you. But not using shadow travel."

An idea popped into Nico's head. An old story from Annabeth. "I have an idea."

* * *

Piper POV:

Piper was never letting Nico make transportation decisions again. They were currently being tossed around like dice in the Gray Sister's taxi. Nico claimed it was the fastest way into the city, besides shadow travel, but he looked like he was regretting his decision now. The three sisters had already flattened two trees and taken out a traffic light. Why there was a taxi service run by three old ladies with only one eye, Piper had no idea. She yelled at Nico over the din of the three sisters bickering.

"We need another way home, di Angelo!"

He looked like he was going to be sick. "I have another idea, I just wanted to get into the city quickly. This was the quickest way I could think of."

"Yeah, maybe because instead of going around pedestrians and stopping at traffic light, we go right through them." Piper complained.

The taxi came to a screeching halt. The ladies yelled at them to pay up and get out. Nico tossed another golden Drachama at them and he and Piper staggered out of the taxi.

"The world is spinning." Piper lamented.

"That was worse that shadow-traveling." Nico said. They paused for a moment to gain their bearings.

"Where are we?"

"Entrance of Central Park. That way is the park, that way is the city."

They headed towards the city. "So, any ideas?"

"No, that's why I asked you to come and help me."

"Hmm, well can you think of any Will's interests?" Piper asked.

"He likes medicine?"

Piper laughed. "Yes, but that's his job. He doesn't want a present reminding him of work." Nico was quiet, so Piper made another suggestion. "What about archery?"

Nico chuckled. "That I know he hates." He wracked his brain. "He likes music. He likes Broadway."

Piper was looking around at the buildings, thinking. Recently, one of the Apollo kids had tried to win the heart of an Ares girl by playing a love song on the record player that he had. The Ares girl had proceeded to break the record and the player and kick the Apollo guy into the lake, to show her disinterest in him. Will had bemoaned the lost of the record player, claiming it had been a gift from his father.

"What about a record player?" She suggested.

Recognition sparked in Nico's eyes as he remembered the incident and the complaining of Will that followed it. "That's perfect."

Dismay clouded over Piper. "But how much is that going to cost? Especially in New York City?"

"I mean, my father does pay me for my services as the Ghost King, I have enough money for it."

"Good, now you need a record to go with it," Piper exclaimed.

"I know he really likes that one show... with the ghost and the girl." Nico struggled to find the name of it.

"Phantom of the Opera?"

Nico snapped his fingers. "That's the one. And I know the perfect place to find the record."

* * *

The two demigods entered into a little Broadway shop outside of the theater for Matilda. Piper remembered reading the story of Matilda as a child and was currently looking at the small cast members lining up to go inside for their job for the day. She sighed, wondering if the kids were happy. Her father loved acting, but sometimes the game could be overwhelming so she hoped that these kids were doing alright.

She shook herself out of her inner musings and turned back around to watch Nico as he browsed through the many records the shop had. Together, they had already bought the record machine. After they found the record, they were going to stop somewhere for lunch and then head back into camp. Nico found the record and brought it up to the front counter. He asked the cashier to ring him up and gave her the cash to pay for it. A receipt later, he and Piper were on their way, walking side-by-side, down the streets of New York.

"What did you get Jason for Christmas?" Nico asked, genuinely sounding interested.

"I bought him a Superman shirt, because he thinks he's a hero. I also bought him a whole bunch of Superhero movies because he has a bunch to catch up on after all his years isolated from fun at Camp Jupiter."

"I'm sure he'll love that." Nico mused. "I didn't really get anyone else anything..."

"Oh Nico, I'm sure they won't mind. And if you want to, we can look for some other gifts for them while we are out?"

Nico sighed. "I guess we can look."

"I can show you some of my favorite stores," Piper suggested as she grabbed Nico by the wrist.

* * *

After buying presents for all their friends and getting a quick bite to eat for lunch, they decided to head back to camp. It was nearing four o'clock, and everyone was probably starting to wonder where they were. Both Nico and Piper, in a hurry to leave camp quickly and quietly, had both forgotten their phones, so there was no way to let Jason and Will know where they were.

She and Nico walked onto a busy street, making almost no progress, trying to push through the crowd. Nico grabbed her wrist and gestured to an empty alleyway with his head. They broke through the crowd and emerged into the side street. Considering how packed the sidewalk was, Piper was surprised that no one took the route of this side street. But, as the two demigods walked further down it, Piper sensed something was amiss.

"Nico, I think-"

"Yeah, we need to get out-"

"Leaving so soon?" A teenaged girl sauntered out from behind the dumpster. "Why? I rarely get guests in my alleyway. Only... certain people can see it."

Piper didn't know what kind of monster it was, but Nico apparently recognized it. His sword, which had been absent a few seconds before, was in his hand.

"We don't want any trouble, just let us pass please."

"Aww, c'mon. Can't a girl have a little fun?" The girl asked, fixing her hair, trying, in vain to flirt with Nico.

Piper shook her head and focused on seeing through the Mist. Her vision blurred and refocused. The girl turned into an empousai, with flaming hair, red eyes, fangs, and mismatched legs. Piper pulled her knife from jacket pocket and palmed it. There was only one. Both she and Nico had fought much more dangerous monsters.

"I thought you were on our side; you are servants of Hecate who is a good friend of ours," Piper said sweetly.

"Oh, don't try to charmspeak us, sweetie. We are the masters of that." Another empousai emerged from behind them.

"You might be immune to it, but is your friend?" A third and fourth empousai appeared. "Hello, sweetie, why don't you come on over here?"

Nico made to move over to her, but shook his head, realizing what the monster was doing. He held up his sword to her throat.

"I'm fine right here, thanks."

"You sure you don't want to come over here?"

"Yeah, we can make sure you are really comfortable." The monsters were laying on the charmspeak thick.

"Just drop your sword, and we can talk." Nico's sword wavered and the tip fell into the ground.

"Nico," Piper said, trying to draw Nico out of it, but the three empousai were already surrounding him.

"Hush, now, sweetheart. Now come here. Just come here. Tell us about your camp." He stepped closer to the first empousai.

"I have a secret." Nico whispered. The empousai smiled.

"Yes, son of Hades, tell us about your camp. How we can get in?"

"Your charmspeak doesn't work on me." Confusion crossed the empousai's face. Her face turned to one of pain as Nico stabbed her with his sword. She disintegrated. "I'm gay."

The remaining three empousai hissed and lunged to attack. Piper let her instincts take over. She deflected the empousai's teeth with her blade. She forced the monster back. She hissed again and grabbed Piper's arm, twisting it. Piper yelled in pain and dropped her dagger. The empousai smirked. Piper elbowed the monster in the gut, and she doubled over. She punched the empousai in the face, sending the demon reeling back.

Piper took the moment to check on Nico. He was holding his own against the two empousai. He was distracted looking at Piper and missed deflecting one of the monsters. She sunk her teeth into his shoulder. He screamed in pain.

"Nico!" She cried out, surging toward him, but she was knocked off her feet by her empousai.

They wrestled on the dirty alleyway ground. The empousai started choking Piper. As she struggled for breath, she searched the ground for her knife. She grabbed it, and stabbed it into the monster's neck. She gurgled and disintegrated. She gasped and coughed as she sat up. She looked over to Nico. He had killed one of the monsters, but was still battling the other one. She stood up, black spots dancing in her vision. She steadied herself, and lunged to help Nico. Together, they stabbed the final monster and it disintegrated.

They stood for a second, catching their breath. Nico fell to his knees.

"Nico, Nico, are you-"

"Fine," he gasped out. "I just- let's go home."

Piper moved and grabbed their fallen gifts from the ground. She held a hand out. Nico gratefully accepted and pulled himself up. Together, they stumbled to the end of the alleyway and to the curb. Nico let out his best taxi cab whistle and a dark limo showed up.

"What is-" the window rolled down.

"Piper, meet Jules-Albert, my zombie chauffeur." Nico interrupted.

"Do I even want to know?"

"No, probably not. Let's get back to camp.


	20. Chapter 20: Venom

_Warnings: mentions of self-harm_

 _Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed within this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

His boyfriend was not at camp. Where he was, Will had no idea. He was currently making his way to the Big House with Jason. Piper had been missing since 11 and it was already 5. Will and Jason knew that their significant others were with each other, but they didn't know where. After calling them both multiple times, and getting no responses, both boys figured it was time to tell Chiron. They entered into the Big House and into the rec room, where Argus and Chiron were playing cards.

"Chiron," their teacher looked up at the sound of Jason's voice. "Nico and Piper are missing."

The centaur blinked in shock. "What do you mean missing? What happened?"

"Piper and I were hanging out this morning and Nico came up and said he needed her help, and no one has seen them since."

"Have you checked all over camp?"

"Of course. We just finished so that's why we came to you because they are nowhere to be found." Will informed.

"Is there any reason they would need to leave camp?"

"Well, Nico is prone to leave to go to the Underworld, but I can't think of any reason why he would take Piper." Will explained. "But, he was quite upset this morning when he woke up from his injuries last night."

"And there's no way to contact them? At all?"

"No-" Jason was cut off by Cecil forcing the door open.

"Chiron," he gasped, out of breath. "You-you have to come."

"Cecil, what's wrong?" Will asked, alarmed at the fact that his best friend looked like he had just seen death.

"The border... Nico- Piper-"

Will, Jason, and Chiron all sprang into action. Will forced the porch door open. He sprinted to the crest of the hill. Peleus was snorting flames, on high alert. Will paused on the top of the hill, to see what was the matter. He spotted two figures stumbling, a skeleton following them. Nico. He ran the rest of the way down and met Piper and Nico halfway. Nico's arm was around Piper's shoulders and she appeared to be carrying most of his weight. She looked as up Will approached.

"Will, thank the gods," she and Will slowly lowered Nico onto the ground. His eyes were closed and he kept seizing. "He continues to pass out and wake up. I don't know what's wrong."

"What happened?" He asked. He was distracted by Jason withdrawing his sword, about to plunge it into the skeleton.

"Wait, Jason, stop!" Piper commanded. Jason froze. "That's Jules-Albert. He's with Nico."

"Nico's?" Jason asked, looking quizzically at the skeleton.

"Give him access to the camp." She ordered.

"Argh," Nico grunted on the ground, drawing Will's focus back on him. The son of Hades eyes flew open. He looked around at where he was and then grunted in pain again. Will moved to secure him.

"Nico, it's okay," Will started looking over Nico, trying to figure out the problem. He directed his next words at Piper. "What happened?"

"We were in the city, walking through an alleyway and we got attacked by four empousai. We killed them off, but Nico got bitten on his shoulder." Will turned his focus to Nico's shoulder. He ripped Nico's shirt off. "I thought he was okay because he stood up and got into the limo back to Camp, but then he started passing out and seizing on the way back. I don't know what's wrong."

"Are you hurt?" Will asked. He had pulled the shirt off revealing a huge gash in Nico's shoulder. Empousai's teeth were venomous, explaining Nico's reaction. He had poison coursing through him.

"No, no, I'm fine, I just want him to be okay." She brushed off his concern. Jason came up to her.

"Piper, you're bleeding." He said quietly. Will looked up. She had a gash on her head, leaking blood. She put her hand up to her hairline, her hand coming away bloody.

"I didn't even notice."

"Why were you even in the city?" Jason inquired. She looked up to him.

"All we were doing was buying Christmas gifts." She said. "If I had known he was going to get hurt..."

"You couldn't have known this would happen, Pipes." Jason comforted, putting an arm around her.

"Will," Nico breathed. Will whipped his head around, lowering his head to Nico's mouth. "It hurts." He whined out in pain. "Make it stop, please." He breathed out as his eyes rolled in the back of his head.

Will's heart dropped. "We need to get him into the infirmary. Now!" He lifted Nico up. He turned. "Piper, you are coming too. You need to get your head checked out."

* * *

Will prepared a mixture that would dilute the venom running through his veins. The only problem is that it burned more than the venom. And it caused hallucinations as it filtered the poison out. He looked down at Nico who was conscious and writhing with pain on the bed.

"I'm not going to lie, this is going to be one of the most painful experiences of your life. Brace yourself." He plunged the needle into the son of Hades arm. At first, nothing happened.

"This isn't so b-" Nico cut himself off with a guttural scream.

Will squeezed his eyes shut at the sound of his boyfriend's screams. They were in the back room, the door closed, but Will assumed that the whole infirmary could hear them. He had strapped Nico down so he would not try to escape and Nico was thrashing against the restraints. Will heard Nico's stitches on his shoulder pop open and he started bleeding on the white bed sheet. He continued screaming.

He held Nico's hand. "Shh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it will be over soon." But Nico was trapped in his own memories. Will looked at the ceiling. "Please let him pass out, please let him pass out, please, please, please!" But he didn't.

* * *

After twenty minutes of his screaming, Will couldn't take it anymore. He left the room and slammed the door shut. He walked back into the infirmary. Piper was sitting on one of the beds, holding a bandage to her head. Jason was standing there as well. They looked terrified at the screams issuing from Nico's room.

"Is he okay?" Jason asked.

Will threw open the cabinet door, looking for stitches to fix up Piper. "No, he's not, because he has demon venom coursing through him and I'm trying everything I can to get it out, but it's not an easy process." He found what he was looking for and dumped the contents onto the table next to Piper, causing the couple to jump. "What were you two thinking, leaving camp without permission? You could have gotten yourselves killed!"

"Your boyfriend was looking for a present for you for Christmas. We just got into some trouble." Piper explained.

"Still, that was foolish, going out without any protection."

"Nico and I can handle ourselves, William, thank you very-"

"You obviously can't, you guys got attacked!" Will shouted.

"There were four empousai. And we handled it!" Piper shot back.

"Is that why Nico is lying, bleeding and screaming his brains out in the infirmary?! Because you handled it?!" Will was angry.

"Will, you need to calm down." Kayla's voice rang out. He whipped around, seeing Chiron and his sister at the door, looking at him in shock. "Take a walk."

Will scowled, turning on his sister. She glared daggers at him.

"Don't you dare come back until you have yourself under control." She threatened.

He angrily stormed past. He threw open the Big House door. He stormed across camp and into the forest. He climbed up Zeus' fist, lying on his back, trying to calm himself down.

It was against everything he stood for to yell at a patient. It wasn't Piper's fault. It wasn't Nico's fault. He was trying to be nice and buy him a Christmas present. Nico was in pain because of him. Because he was stupid and cared about Will enough to risk his life to get him a present. What kind of boyfriend was he? What kind of doctor was he? Will hit the rock beneath him, trying to dispel his anger.

* * *

"Hestia told me I'd find you up here." Will shot up from his position.

"Chiron," Will acknowledged. "How is he?"

"Getting better. The venom worked its way out of his system, he's asleep now. He's okay, thanks to you. Although, you should have called me sooner. I could have expedited the process."

Will felt guilty. Chiron could have made things better, faster. "I know, I'm sorry."

"You are a remarkable healer Will, but it's okay to ask for help sometimes. Especially with the problem Nico presents with his self-harm."

So Chiron did know about that.

"When did you find out?"

"Since he arrived at camp. I know Nico and the experiences he has had. And you haven't been the most discreet when treating him. When you two disappeared for days on end, did you think I wouldn't notice?"

"I hoped you wouldn't," He paused for a moment and decided to say what was really on his mind. "I just feel so much pressure and as if I have to be at the top of my game all the time. And I honestly don't know how to help him with that."

"You are a teenager. You may be a demigod, but let yourself relax and have fun. You don't have to take the weight of the world on your shoulders. And it's a large problem. One that cannot be fixed with a bandage. He has to heal from his time in Hell. And you have to let him."

Will sighed. "You're right, I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize." Chiron mused. "Just don't grow up too quickly. Enjoy the time you have with the people you love. And make the most of the good times you have with Nico."

"How do you know so much?" Chiron laughed.

"I'm frankly quite old, haven't you noticed?"

Will smirked, "No, of course not sir!"

"Just keeping you on your toes, Mr. Solace." He grinned. "You can rejoin us when you are ready."


	21. Chapter 21: Short Fuse

_Warnings: mentions of self-harm_

 _Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed within this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

Nico jerked himself awake, in the infirmary. He remembered the empousai attack, and the following hallucinations. His throat felt scratchy from all the screaming. In order to mitigate the pain, he searched for a pitcher of water. He spotted one and stood up to pour himself a glass.

That's when he realized that he was all alone. Will had left him and Nico had been trapped inside himself. A cold shiver worked its way down his spine. He pushed his thoughts down, trying to stay calm. The door in his room opened, startling him. He turned quickly and backed away from the door, grabbing a scalpel to defend himself. It opened revealing Piper and Jason. Nico dropped his defensive stance and took a breath of relief.

"Thank Hades, it's just you two."

The couple looked at each other. "Who did you think it was Nico?" Piper asked.

"You look shaken up, are you okay?" Jason questioned.

Nico laughed bitterly. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Don't lie," Jason admonished.

"What's going on Nico?" Piper looked concerned. "You seemed okay when we went out this morning, but after that attack... what happened?"

"Empousai venom causes wicked hallucinations, apparently, so I just dealt with a couple of hours of that, so please excuse me for not being in the best state of mind right now." Nico snapped.

"Then how about you put that scalpel down, before you do any more damage." Nico looked down to his hand at Jason's words. He was tightly gripped the blade, blood beading around the puncture point. The sight of blood shook him out of his state. He put the blade down on the counter and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his finger.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what overcame me." He apologized.

"The venom is still working its way of your system." Kayla explained as she entered the room. "You might have some side-effects for the night, so you stay here."

Nico nodded. "Okay, sure. I can do that."

Jason chuckled. "Yeah he's been poisoned alright. He's not usually willing to do these kinds of things. Where's our stubborn son of Hades?"

Nico rolled his eyes. "Where's Will? He can watch me for the night"

Kayla pursed her lips. "William is cooling himself off at the present."

"What did he do?"

"He was worried about you and took his anger out on me. I've never seen him get that angry before." Piper answered.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with that." Nico mused. "Facing Will's anger is not a fun thing to experience."

"I mean it bugged me, but I know he didn't mean it." She said, indifferently.

"I'm sure he feels unbelievably guilty right now. Where is he?" Nico asked.

"He stormed out of here so quickly, we didn't see where he went." Jason said.

"I'll find him. I know most of the hiding places around camp." Nico stated. Kayla moved to stop him.

"It might not be the best idea for you to go trekking around camp. You just recovered from having hallucinations and your shoulder isn't completely healed yet. And you also don't want to go romping into the forest. Who knows what could be lurking in there."

"Mr. Solace is one of those things lurking." Chiron's voice sounded from the doorway. "It's good to see you up and about, Mr. di Angelo."

"Yeah," Nico said.

"At any rate, your healer is correct. You shouldn't be trekking around camp, especially by yourself. I don't know if we can trust you to go off on your own. Considering your blatant disregard for the rules this morning." As Chiron spoke of their escape, Nico noticed Piper trying to sneak quietly out of the room. "Not so fast, Ms. McClean. You also committed an infraction of the rules today. You and Nico are both assigned to extra chores for two months."

"Two months?! Are you kidding?" Piper exclaimed.

"Don't make me make it three. You both broke the rules and could have been killed. You start tonight after dinner."

Nico flexed his arm. "You know, my shoulder is really bothering me. I wouldn't want to aggravate it any more than necessary." He looked at Piper. "I guess Piper will just have to handle them tonight."

Chiron smirked. "It would appear so."

"You can't be serious?! No way am I doing them on my own!" Piper spluttered. She punched Nico on the arm. "You are full of Minotaur schist! You are fine."

"Ouch!" Nico said, unconvincingly, grabbing his shoulder.

"Kayla, what's your expert opinion?" Jason asked.

"I think Nico needs to take it easy, at least for the night."

"Where is the loyalty? Women have to stick together, Kayla! I thought we were friends." Piper emphasized.

"Oh c'mon Piper, it's only one night." Kayla placated.

"In all seriousness, that was a very risky move for both of you. It was an unbelievably dangerous, and childish error." Chiron lectured. Nico looked down at his feet.

"It won't happen again."

"I'm sure it will happen with you again, Mr. di Angelo, but next time please do not involve other campers." The centaur wasn't wrong. But it stung a little that Chiron cared more about him involving other campers than Nico's own safety

"We'll be sure to mention something next time." Piper quietly said.

"Now, onto other matters. I believe you will find our head healer holed up in the woods on Zeus's fist." Nico grimaced at Chiron's news. Will usually hid out there when he was upset.

"I will make my wa-"

"Now, hold on a minute," Kayla said. "You need to stay with someone the rest of the night. I guess Zeus's fist isn't that far so you walk straight there and then bring him back, you hear me? Otherwise I'm keeping you in the infirmary until Christmas."

"Yes ma'am." Nico nodded, as he pretended to march out of the room.

* * *

Will's POV:

Will didn't know how long he had been perched on the rocks. He also didn't know what he was waiting for. To feel better? To have some sort of sign that it was time to head back into camp? To have an epiphany to solve all of his problems?

He sighed, realizing sooner or later that he would have to go back, unless he wanted a search party scouring the woods for him. He slid off the rock and hit the ground. He steadied himself and starting walking back to camp.

"Finally done sulking?" Will whipped around, pulling out the knife he had grabbed before leaving the infirmary and threw it in the direction of the voice. The knife stuck into a tree, inches away from Nico's face. The son of Hades eyes grew very wide as he looked at the blade.

Will's stomach clenched. He had almost stabbed Nico in the face. "Nico, I'm..."

"Okay, touchy question." Nico causally said.

Will surged towards Nico and grabbed his face. "I'm so sorry, oh my gods. I could have killed you!"

Nico grabbed Will's hands and slowly lowered them from his face. "I'm fine, Will, it's okay. I came up on you and you were just trying to defend yourself. I'm okay. It's my fault."

"Oh my gods, I could have killed you. And I don't know what I would-"

Nico put his hand up. "Will, calm down. I'm okay, I promise." Nico considered Will and his demeanor. "Now tell me what's got you all worked up."

At his words, Will released Nico's hand and turned away. "What if I said that I'm fine?"

"Then I would say bullshit, because obviously you are not. You aren't usually as vio...defensive as you just were. So what's going?"

Violent. Nico was going to say violent. What was going on with him? This wasn't the first time he has snapped. He kept snapping at Kayla and he had yelled at Piper. This isn't who he was supposed to be. It wasn't like him.

"Hello? Will?" Nico waved his hand in front of Will's in an attempt to captivate his attention. Will shook himself out of his thoughts.

"I'm fine."

Nico scoffed. "Oh, c'mon Will! I have used that 'I'm fine' excuse so many times. You need to work harder than that."

"I just... I don't know what's happening, what you are doing to me." Will said.

"What I'm doing to you?" Nico asked incredulously.

"When you get hurt," Will clarified. "It makes me so scared and I just snap at every one because I'm so worried and stressed about if you are going to survive or not. Seeing you hurt and in pain... it takes a piece of me."

"It doesn't have to be like that Will. You can't be this hurt every time I have a problem."

"But I can't help it. I know I'm not supposed overprotect you, but I love you, I care about you, Nico. I hate seeing you hurt. And what were you thinking, sneaking out of camp?"

"I was buying your Christmas present," Nico shot back. "It was a lapse in judgment, but Piper and I are both fine, okay? So drop it."

"Nico, I am not going- you got attacked! You were poisoned! I had to watch you suffer in pain and there was nothing I could do a-"

"You had to watch ME suffer in pain?" Nico's voice dripped with venom. "I'm so sorry, was that difficult for you? Was that hard and trying for you? Do you think you are going to be okay?"

Will realized what he had said. "Nico, I didn't mean it like-"

"I'm so sorry that you had to deal with my screaming. I'm sorry you had to experience that heart-wrenching experience while I re-experienced all my worst memories. Just as I do every night. And to make things worse, you abandoned me half-way through! You said you would always be there for me, but while I was writhing in pain and screaming my guts out, you left me! You left me, and I lost all grip on reality! I was back in Tartarus. Alone. Just like I always am." Nico finished with a huge breath out, finding relief in letting everything out.

"Nico," Will started, but he didn't know what to say. He reached out to put a hand on Nico's shoulder, but then thought better of it. "I can't imagine what you've gone through. I apologize for not being more sensitive to your situation. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking of how everything is affecting you as well."

"Well, yes, it's obvious that you weren't thinking." Nico's words had a sarcastic bite to them. He sighed. "I'm sorry I snapped, but you are not the only one struggling here."

Will put his hand on Nico's face. "And I'm sorry that I wasn't more sensitive to the way you were feeling." Wills eyebrows furrowed. Nico's face was burning up under his hand. "Nico, your temperature is so high. Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, about that, apparently the venom isn't totally out of my system and I need you to watch over me tonight."

"You just forgot to mention that until this point?" Will joked.

"Well I mean, yeah, someone threw a knife at me." Guilt overcame Will. His face must have showed it because Nico rushed to reassure him. "I'm just messing with you, I'm fine, I promise." As he spoke, Nico started to wavered on his feet. Will reached out to support him.

"You're fine? Worst excuse in the book." Will said. The two boys started making their way back to the camp. As they were walking, Will heard rustling in the woods. He whipped his head around, saw a flash of red, but saw nothing else. He shrugged it off, thinking it was an animal. Nico and Will slowly made their way to Nico's cabin.


	22. Chapter 22: High Emotions

_Warnings: mentions of self-harm, language_

 _Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed within this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

It was Christmas Eve. Nico was still sleeping while Will made coffee with the machine that Nico had "borrowed" from the Big House. He grabbed the two mugs and walked over to Nico. He set his coffee on the table next to him and pulled up a chair to wait for him to wake.

He thought about the way he had acted the previous day. He really didn't know who he was anymore. The anger he had inside himself wasn't him. He didn't know where it was coming from. He was usually so easy-going and laid back. He tried to think when the change had happened, but he couldn't pinpoint it. His inner musings were interrupted by Nico moving. He rolled over, revealing his face to Will. Will smirked as Nico started sniffing the air.

"Please gods, tell me that that is coffee." Nico's voice was heavy with sleep, which was incredibly attractive. Will bit his lip as Nico's eyes opened. His face lit up as he noticed Will. "What are you looking at?"

"You. Merry Christmas Eve, Nico." Will leaned forward to plant a kiss on Nico's lips. Nico pecked him back but pushed him away.

"I do love you, but I need coffee." Nico moaned. Will laughed as he leaned away. He grabbed Nico's mug and handed it to him. Nico slowly sat up, his blanket still on his shoulders and wrapped his hands around the warm mug. Will knew that Nico hated the cold which is why he had made him coffee. Nico slurped down a good third of the coffee before speaking. "That was life-changing."

Will laughed. "So that's all you need to be happy in the mornings, good coffee. I will take that into consideration."

Nico looked around the room. "Hazel?"

"Breakfast," Will explained. When he had to stay over at the Hades cabin when Nico was injured, he usually slept in Hazel's bed. But when she was in the cabin, he usually grabbed a sleeping bag and made camp on the floor.

"You know, you don't have to sleep on the floor. We've shared a bed before, Will." Nico said.

"I know, but camp rules and you know Chiron-"

"Blah blah blah, I break camp rules on a daily."

"And who has two months of dish duty now?" Will teased.

Nico scoffed. "Chiron will forget in a week. And I can just take some time off from camp." Will went quiet. Nico sometimes disappeared from camp for weeks on end, terrifying Will. Nico rushed to correct his mistake. "Or I can just get a note from my doctor."

"Are you planning on leaving camp again?" Will asked. Nico, obviously bothered by the question, put his mug down and stood up, walking past Will.

"We should probably get the day-" Will grabbed Nico's arm. Nico turned to meet his eyes.

"Don't avoid the question, Nico. Are you planning on leaving camp again?"

"Well, I have to do my job for my father and stuff like that."

"But you aren't going to disappear again for weeks are you?" Will asked seriously.

"No, I'm not going to that. And if I have to, I will tell you. I'm not leaving you like that again." Nico said sincerely. Will loosened his grip. He smiled.

"Okay good." But it wasn't totally okay. Nico had said if he leaves again, implying that he would leave again. His thoughts were interrupted by Nico pressing a kiss on his lips. Will's eyes fluttered shut as he deepened the kiss. Nico tasted like coffee which caused Will to become more alert. Nico broke off the kiss.

"I'm not going anywhere." He whispered his breath ghosting Will's lips.

"Like hell you aren't." He grabbed Nico's waist and pulled him back in for another kiss. Nico put his hand on Will's cheek as they kissed. Will climbed onto the bed, pushing Nico into the pillows and mattress. He let himself get lost in Nico's lips.

* * *

Will and Nico emerged from the cabin a half an hour later. It was already noon. They made their way down to the dining pavilion to join the rest of the camp for lunch. They sat down with Reyna, Frank, and Hazel. They were all laughing about something. They looked up when they approached.

"Good morning you two. I've been up for hours while you both slept like zombies." Hazel joked.

"Nico is not a morning person if you haven't figured that out yet." Will teased.

"What about you, son of Apollo? You usually wake up with the sun." Frank asked.

"Well someone continues to get himself hurt and I have to deal with the fallout," Will answered.

"It's not like I do it on purpose, Will. And I have a good excuse. I was buying you a Christmas present."

"And it is an amazing Christmas present," Piper added as she joined the table with Jason. "Even if we did risk our lives to get it." She gave Will a look as he spoke. Guilt pierced his heart as he thought about the harsh things he had said to her the previous day.

"Piper, I wanted to apologize again for the things I said. I really don't know where it came from-" she put her hand up to stop him.

"I do. You were scared for Nico, so you took it out on me. It wasn't right, but I understand why you did it and I forgive you. Just don't do it again." She said. "And enjoy your Christmas present. I wouldn't have wanted that trip to be for nothing. Two months of washing dishes." She shivered.

"Oh, I don't need all this. All I want for Christmas is you." Will sang at Nico. Nico rolled his eyes.

"Well, I would prefer to have actual gifts, thanks." Nico's comments caused laughs all around the table. "It's not the thought that counts. It's about how good the actual gift is."

"Well, Mr. Scrooge, you need to improve your attitude. It's Christmas! All the kids are so excited for today and not all of us are angsty teenagers disillusioned with the thought of celebrating the holidays. Be merry!" Will poked Nico in the stomach. Nico glared at him.

"Not all of us have great Christmas memories, Will."

"Yes, my great Christmas memories included years where I didn't get any presents because my mother had spent all our money on booze." Everyone at the table fell silent at Will's words.

He rarely ever talked about his mother because of the bad memories it brought up. She was sober at this point in her life, but she had struggled when Will was younger.

"Remember, you aren't the only one who has struggled Nico. All of us have been through hardships. It's not a competition about whose life sucked the worst. Although you have been through considerably more challenging things than us, we all have had tough childhoods and lives as demigods. And yet, we continue to see the goodness and magic still in the world. Buck up, because it's Christmas Eve!"

Will sprang up from the table. He needed some time in the infirmary before he could start the celebrations of the day.

"Now, I have some things to attend to in the infirmary, so I will see you all when the festivities of the day begin!" He kissed Nico on the cheek and began walking towards the Big House. He heard his name mentioned at the table and slid behind a pillar to see what they were saying.

"I never knew Will's mother was an alcoholic," Jason muttered.

"Just like ours, huh?" Thalia interjected, sliding in next to Jason.

"He doesn't really talk about it that much. That's the first time he's mentioned it in months." Nico explained.

"I hope he's okay," Hazel whispered. "He seemed to want to walk away quite quickly after mentioning it. Did he really have anything to do in the infirmary, or does he just need space?"

"I have no idea. I'll go talk to him to see if he's okay." Nico said, standing.

"It might be better if you let him cool off first and if one of us did it, Nico," Jason suggested. "From what you've told us, you don't know much about the situation either. He might feel more comfortable with someone he can relate to."

This comment offended Nico, Will could tell from his body language and his harsh words. "Oh, he can't relate to me, is that it? My childhood was pretty shitty and I don't even remember half of it." Hazel put her hand on his shoulder to offer comfort.

"As Will said, we all have pretty sucky childhoods. You aren't the only victim. And I was just saying because he and I both have had alcoholic parents, we might reach a better understanding." Jason placated.

"If anyone needs to relate to me, I'll be in my cabin." Nico stalked off. Will thought about following, but his emotions were too jumbled at the moment for him to be of any help to Nico.

"I'll go talk to him, or maybe send Percy in after him," Hazel told everyone. "Percy is usually able to calm him down when you aren't, Jason." This comment sent a wave of jealousy through Will. Why didn't anyone think to ask him to help calm Nico down?

He pushed off from the pillar to go to the infirmary. He knew deep down his anger was fueled by his confusing emotions surrounding his mother, but that didn't make him any less jealous.

He pushed open the door to the infirmary, surprised to find it empty. Usually, by this point, there were at least five disputes about various things especially since the Hunters and Romans were at camp. But the infirmary was quiet. He grabbed a clipboard from the desk and began going over the supply list. He thought of how many supplies were used by just Nico. How many times he got hurt. How many hours Percy and Jason spent waiting for him to wake up.

A small bubble of anger ignited in his stomach. How had he not seen it before? The amount of time Percy and Jason spent looking out for Nico. Did Percy return the feelings that Nico had for him when he was younger? Did Nico find Jason attractive? He knew he wasn't being logical considering all three boys were in relationships, but that didn't change how he felt. He shook these thoughts out of his head, knowing that speculation would get him nowhere.

He walked over to the cabinet and started taking inventory of what they had. He looked at the rubbing alcohol bottles. He thought back to his mother and how much she truly struggled with alcohol. Will remembered being five or six at the time when his mother had drank so much that he had to call the hospital. She was hospitalized for three days before being released. The doctors at the hospital said that Will had saved her life. After years of dealing with his mother's drinking and angry outbursts, Apollo had eventually shown up, rare for an Olympian, and helped get his mother into rehab. She had stayed sober for a year before hitting the booze again.

By that time, Will was ten and had decided to go to Camp Half-Blood. His mother promised to stay sober if he came home during the school year, and so far she had kept her promise. The thought of losing Will kept her from drinking. But that didn't remedy all the times Will had seen her drunk or when she lashed out at him during one of her outbursts. He had spent so many nights locked away in his room, his mother pounding at the door.

He grabbed a scalpel tightly in his hand, trying to bring himself to the present, but he was lost in the memory. He remembered the pounding when it stopped and he felt like he could breathe. He would wait an hour or two before emerging to find his mother past out on the floor. He would always drag her to her room and wrap a blanket around her before attempting to go back to sleep in his own room. He always spent the night crying and praying to his father.

"Will? Where are you?" He was pulled from his memory by Jason calling out his name. He replaced the scalpel in the cabinet and looked at his hand. The wound was superficial, but still bleeding heavily. He gripped his hand tightly, hoping pressure would stop the bleeding as he closed the door which had blocked him from the sight of Jason and Piper

"What can I do for you?" He said nonchalantly, leaning against the cabinet door, his arms crossed over his chest. A flicker of rage ignited as he looked at Jason, but he kept his face expressionless.

"Well you seemed upset when leaving the table and we wanted to make sure you were okay," Piper said.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Will said shortly. He turned away from them and towards the counter, looking at his bloody hand. The flow hadn't stopped yet. "You both can go. I have things to take care of."

"What things? There aren't any patients here. You should be enjoying the holidays with us." Jason continued.

"Yeah, because you relate to me so much." Will snarked as he turned around, hands in his jean pockets. Jason's face went red at his words.

"You heard all that?"

"Yeah, you might want to have your conversations about other people in a more private location next time," Will said sarcastically. "Just because our moms were alcoholics doesn't mean we are anything alike."

"Will, what is going on? We are friends; where is this animosity coming from?" Jason asked, putting his hand on Will's shoulder. Will stepped back, not letting Jason make contact. He didn't respond to Jason's question. "Okay, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted like I know everything. You're right; I don't. But, I can help you and am willing to listen if you need someone to talk to."

Will swallowed down his pride and jealousy for sake of maintaining relationships. Nico was close with Jason and he didn't want to spoil his friendship. "I'm sorry, I just need some time to process. Thinking about my mom, it just takes a lot out of me."

"Even if it might not seem like it, I do understand. I can give you some space. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Jason instructed. Will nodded. Jason turned to leave, but Piper didn't move. Jason looked at her, quizzically. She motioned for him to go and he complied. Piper smiled at Will.

"How about you tell me what's really going on? This isn't just about your mom and Jason's right, this animosity has come out of nowhere. What's going on with you?" Piper asked. Will, forgetting about his hand, ran his fingers through his hair, tugging it in frustration. "Is that blood on your hand?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I sliced it going through inventory. It was an accident. It's just superficial." He lied.

"This wasn't an accident. Will, talk to me. What's going on?" She asked, eyes serious. Will remained silent as he started sponging the blood of his hand. "If you won't talk to me, then who will you talk to? Should I go get Nico?"

"No," He grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving. "He can't know that I'm like this."

"What's the cause of all this? Please, let me help." She pleaded.

"It's Nico," Will confessed. "Nico is causing me to act like this. I never get this angry or this violent before I started dating him." He stopped to breathe.

"What are you saying?" Piper whispered.

Will didn't answer the question, not knowing the answer but instead launched into a speech, pouring out his soul. "All this rage and jealousy and violent, I think I'm getting it from him. The moods he gets in and his personality, it's dark and it's... it's infecting me or something. When he gets hurt, I get so worried and so angry all of the time and I just want to protect him but he won't let me. I am so quick to jump to anger now, it feels like I'm always angry all the time and I don't want to be. He makes me feel things I've always wanted to feel like love and passion but he also makes me feel things I don't want to feel. I'm getting jealous over the stupidest things. I got jealous of Percy and Jason and Nico's relationships with each other even though it's so illogical. Piper, I'm not myself and I don't know what to do. It's like I can't even control my emotions anymore. Yesterday, when he came to find me in the forest, I almost killed him by accident. I could have killed him, or anyone else. I'm scaring myself."

He felt a burden lift off him as he admitted all of this to Piper. He collapsed on a bed. Piper considered his speech before responding. She sat next to him as he spoke.

"People in relationships mirror their counterparts emotions. You are feeding off Nico's emotions way too much which could explain your anger and violent actions. You aren't going to hurt anyone, especially not on purpose; it isn't in your nature. And jealousy is always a thing that occurs in relationships Will, I hate to tell you. Nico loves you though, he will stay loyal. You will always come across friendships that Nico has that you will be jealous of, but you have to put your trust in Nico. He will remain loyal to you.

"And the whole overprotection thing, you have to understand that Nico lives a dangerous lifestyle and there isn't much to do about that. He can take care of himself and you can help him when he's unable to. But, you have to let him have his own freedom and you have to give him the opportunity to ask for help before just jumping in to save the day. When you get angry, try to pinpoint where it is coming from and think about whether it is really worth getting angry about. You just have to work on relaxing and thinking before acting and speaking. Don't do anything rash without considering all your options. And from what I can tell, you are so afraid to lose Nico. You need to let go of that fear and trust in his abilities and your own. The way you talk about him and look at him, I can tell you love him. Don't let your anger get in the way of that." Piper finished.

"That makes a lot of sense," Will admitted. "Thanks."

"Of course. That's what friends are for. Now, c'mon, let's go celebrate." She stood up, putting her hand out for Will to grab. He did and they walked out of the infirmary together.


	23. Chapter 23: Christmas Eve

_Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed within this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV

He was in his cabin, lying on his bed, staring up at his ceiling. His music was playing full blast to distract himself. Through the din of music, he heard a knock at the door. He paused his music.

"Who is it?"

"Percy." A muffled voice sounded through the wood.

He wasn't expecting Percy. Percy hadn't even been at lunch when his disagreement with Jason had happened. "Oh, Percy. Go away." He un-paused his music and put a pillow over his face. He really hated fighting with his friends. He heard the door open but hoped that his black shirt provided camouflage into his dark comforter so Percy wouldn't see him. Unfortunately, his plan was foiled as Percy turned off his music, sitting down next to him on the bed.

"If you really don't want someone in your cabin, you should lock the door."

Nico spoke into the pillow. "Usually when I do that, people just end up breaking down the door and I have to send the bill to my father. He's always pleased to get those bills. He punishes me by making me catch rogue spirits. A+ parenting, really."

Percy chuckled. "Nice distractor, but we aren't here to talk about your father. You know Jason didn't mean what he said. Not in that way."

"Then why isn't he the one here apologizing?"

"He assumed you wanted space."

Nico laughed. "He would assume correctly. A gold star for Jason."

"He really didn't mean what he said. He just was trying to help both of you, and ended up hurting you. You were probably the most qualified to talk to Will. And he understands that now. Will didn't want to talk to him either."

"He's not as charming as everyone thinks." Nico joked.

"He has flaws, just like the rest of us. He wants to apologize to you directly, but he send me to make sure you are okay. He does care about you."

Nico pushed the pillow off his face. He sat up next to Percy. "Everyone seems to do that too much."

"What? Care about you?"

"Yeah, it's really quite obnoxious."

Percy rolled his eyes. "Glad to see you are feeling better."

Nico shrugged. "I just not really in the mood to fight if I'm being honest."

"But fighting and being a thorough drama queen is what you do, Nico! It's in your DNA!" Nico merely rolled his eyes at Percy's words. "Now, let's see this infamous gift that you fought demons and risked your life for." He put the back of his hand to his hand, pretending to faint into Nico's arm.

"Oh, and I'm the drama queen." He pushed Percy to the side as he stood and crouched, looking under the bed. "I got him a record player and a Phantom of the Opera record."

Percy whistled. "I wish Annabeth got me this nice of presents. Where did you get the money for that?"

"My father funded me. I'm also going to take Will on a date." He added.

Percy smirked. "Ooh, where?"

"None of your business, nosy." Nico teased. "It's a secret which I know you will blurt, so my lips are sealed."

"Well what is the fun in that, Mr. Grumpy-pants?"

"I'm going to punch you." Nico threaten.

"I'm so scared." Percy joked. Nico punched him in the shoulder. "Ouch! Oh no, I am slain!" Percy exclaimed, falling to the floor.

"Did you really just quote Hamlet?"

"The fact that you knew that proves that you are an old man." Percy laughed.

Nico rolled his eyes. "I'm leaving."

"Oh goody, I'll come to! We are starting a Christmas movie marathon with all the kids tonight at 7. You can help set it." Percy sprang up as he spoke.

"I'm so excited." Nico said sarcastically.

The whole day passed quickly. Jason had apologized to Nico which he accepted, putting the two boys back on speaking terms. He had helped Calypso, Festus, and Leo dig up holes for the fire pits. Will had eventually come out from hiding and he and Nico had enjoyed a wonderful afternoon together, walking through the Winter Wonderland that was Camp Half-Blood. It was already seven at night and a huge projector screen had been set up by the Stoll brothers. The fire pits were every few feet apart so everyone could be warm. Popcorn and hot chocolate had been passed around. The movie was The Polar Express, which Nico had never seen before. He kept rolling his eyes at all the holiday cheer having a reputation to maintain, but couldn't help watching the movie as it started playing on the screen. More than once he looked over to find Will staring at him, a small grin on his face. After four times of finding Will staring at him, he said something.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're cute."

Nico felt his face turn red. "Yeah? That doesn't explain why you are staring at me."

Will stretched out on the blanket, looking away from Nico as he spoke. "You just looked so happy and content and full of wonder." He regained eye contact. "It suits you. And it makes me happy when you are happy." He laced his fingers with Nico's. Nico smirked and focused back on the movie. He even failed to notice the harpies floating around with mistletoe tied to them, courtesy of the Aphrodite cabin.

The movie concluded and Nico was glad he had watched it. They started another movie called Elf as Nico spoke in whispered tones with Will.

"That was a good movie."

"It is a staple in the American household. My siblings and I watch it every year on Christmas Eve. It's a tradition."

Nico looked around for Will's cabin. He spotted them over in the counter, goofing around and playing guitars quietly, as not to disturb the other movie watchers. "You can hang out with them if you want. If it's tradition."

"I want to start a new tradition with you." Will said, lacing their fingers together. A harpy with mistletoe was hovering over them. Will and Nico both looked up at the sound of the flapping wings. Will smiled. "You must know the rules of this tradition."

"Of course." What Nico didn't say is that he was uncomfortable around so many people. Will must have picked up on his hesitation, as he didn't move forward. Nico threw caution to the wind and leaned forward. His and Will's chapped lips met in the chilly winter air. Nico heard giggling and "aww"ing around them, but he refused to be deterred. He didn't care anymore. He loved his boyfriend and he didn't care if the whole camp knew. They eventually broke it off. Nico looked around self-consciously, but everyone had gone back to paying attention to the movie. Nico smiled, leaning back against Will's chest. Will had propped himself up with his arms behind him. He wrapped a blanket around the both of them. Nico soon fell asleep, Will's heartbeat drowning out the rest of the camp.

Nico woke a couple hours later. He opened his eyes to find that Will hadn't moved. He was just staring down at Nico. Nico looked around them, confused and disoriented. It was just them.

"Where is everyone? What year is I?"

Will laughed lightly. "You haven't slept till New Years, I promise you that. It's 12:30, so Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you, but where is everyone else?"

"In their cabins. The movie ended about a half an hour ago."

Nico sat up. "Why didn't you wake me?"

Will shrugged and stretched, revealing his stomach as his jacket rode up. "You looked so peaceful, and I knew you hadn't gotten a lot of sleep in recent weeks."

"Weren't you uncomfortable?"

Will shook his head. "No, but I was starting to. I was going to wake you up soon; the harpies will eat us if we don't leave soon."

Nico stood and pulled Will up as well. They stood in silence for a moment, hovering near each other without touching.

"I had a great night." Nico whispered, breaking the silence.

Will smiled. "I'm glad to hear it." He grabbed Nico's hand. "Now it's time to go to bed otherwise Santa won't come."

Nico rolled his eyes as they walked to his cabin. "Whatever you say." They eventually arrived and Nico pecked Will goodnight. He entered his cabin and collapsed onto his bed.


	24. Chapter 24: Christmas

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

Little children jumping on the bed woke Will followed by the gleeful screams of "It's Christmas! It's Christmas!"

His eyes opened to find two smiling faces peering down at him. Two of his younger siblings, Alicia and Louis, had woken him up. He sat up and looked around the cabin. The clock on his bedside table read 7:00 am.

"Good morning, kids. I'm only going to get up if you stop jumping on me." He warned. They all quickly got off. He looked around the room. All of the members of the Apollo cabin were standing around, bleary-eyed, but excited for the holiday. Kayla was watching this action unfold, her arms over her chest as she leaned against the wall.

"They've been awake since 5:30, but I made them wait until no to wake you up. They are anxious to open presents. And the whole cabin is opening them together. It's family time."

"I know, Kayla. Merry Christmas everyone!" His remark was met with choruses of 'Merry Christmas' and 'You too' and 'The sentiment is nice, but I'm Jewish' from one of the girls. Will nodded his head in apology. "Of course Hannah, I apologize. We will celebrate Hanukah with you when the time comes." He looked around at his cabin members. "Who is ready to open presents?"

Everyone cheered as they swarmed the Christmas tree that they had in the cabin. The kids attacked all the presents while Kayla, Will, Austin, and Brandon watched. The other older kids were supervising the proceedings. The bags and boxes revealed bows and quivers, harmonics and sheet music, swords and knifes, trains and cars, and so many Mythomagic figurines. Will went to the tree and picked out the presents he had gotten for his older siblings. He handed one to each of them. He had gotten Kayla a couple bandanas and hair dye. She laughed and hugged him.

"Thanks big bro!"

Austin opened his gift next. Inside were a new saxophone mouthpiece and a box of reeds. "Ah man, thanks Will! I needed a new mouthpiece." He clapped Will on the back. Will handed the final gift to Brandon. Brandon ripped open the packaging and found a new suture kit.

Brandon smiled. "Thanks, Will. I really needed to practice my stitching skills."

"You're welcome guys. I don't know how I would handle all the stuff that has happened in the last year without you guys." Will said lovingly. They all exchanged another round of hugs.

"And now, Big Bro, we have a few presents for you too!" Kayla said as she walked over to her bedside table. She opened the drawer and pulled out three gifts. She handed them to Will. From Brandon, he had received a new set of scrubs and a new lab coat. Austin had given him a new theater shirt with the Hamilton logo on it. He smiled giddily. Lastly, he opened Kayla's present. It contained new guitar strings, picks, and music. One of the younger kids had broken his strings earlier in the yea, and Will hadn't touched the instrument since then.

"Oh my gods, thank you all so much. I will definitely put these babies tonight during the sing-a-long. The scrubs will be put to good use when I go back to working at the hospital. And the Hamilton shirt is absolutely perfect Austin! You guys are literally the best." He looped his arms around Kayla's and Austin's shoulders. "Now c'mon, let's go celebrate with our family."

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Nico's POV:

Nico woke to Hazel shaking his shoulder. She smiled, her curls framing her round, cheerful face. "Merry Christmas, Nico."

"Merry Christmas to you, Hazel." He sat up, kissing his sister on the cheek. He stretched and yawned and he moved his feet to stand up. He grabbed his phone to check the time. He saw that he had a text from Will.

8:30 am Will: Merry Christmas, Nico. Hanging with the family, doing presents, but will be out later for breakfast. Can't wait to give you your present. Love you x

Nico smiled and typed 'Merry Christmas' back. He looked back up at Hazel.

"So, you wanna help me wrap Will's present? Then, we can exchange presents."

"Sure." She said grinning. Nico pulled out the record player and the new record. Hazel grabbed the wrapping paper. Nico surrounded the case in the festive paper. He cut the paper, unaware that he hadn't given himself enough room. As he taped the paper on the box, he discovered his flaw. He looked at Hazel helplessly. She chuckled as she took the box in her hands. She wrapped the box. She put a big box on top of the box. "There you go. Will will- haha, see what I did there?- be so pleased with his gift."

Nico rolled his eyes at his sister's play on words. "I really hope so. I spent a lot of money on it. I will have to work overtime for dad in the coming weeks. But, I saved enough for your gift." He stood, walking over to his chest of drawers. He grabbed a package from the top of it and handed it to his sister. "Merry Christmas." She opened the packaging and found a box. She took off the lid and found a beautiful necklace. It was a black teardrop stone set in a silver casing, She gasped, her eyes twinkling.

"Oh Nico, it is beautiful. Oh, where did you get it?" She asked, her eyes fixated on it.

"I never reveal my sources, Hazel." He joked. "I found the stone in New Orleans on the ranch where you and Sammy ha a lot of memories. I know that place holds a lot of pain, but I also know that that's where you grew up and had a life before it all changed."

Hazel had tears running down her face. "Nico, I love it. It's perfect!" She turned and Nico pulled the necklace around her neck, clasping it into place. She looked down at the necklace before turning and jumping into Nico's arms. "Thank you so so much!"

"Of course. You mean so much to me; I wanted to give you something that would mean a lot to you as well." He said into her ear as she hugged him. She released him.

"Well, I won't keep you in suspense any longer." She said as she grabbed his present. He opened the bag to find a pair of fingerless gloves that he used during training and combat missions.

"Nice!" He exclaimed. "My last pair got corroded by a hydra." She raised her eyebrow, questioningly. "What? It was a mission for dad. I only sustained a few burns."

"A few?" She asked.

"Hazel, it's fine, I'm fine." He reassured. "It healed… for the most part."

"For the most part?"

"It's Christmas! Stop harassing me!" He whined.

"Alright, alright, I'm done, I promise." She relented. "There is something else in the bag."

He looked further into the bag. He pulled out a Christmas sweater. It was black and silver with skulls wearing Santa hats. "Gods no."

"C'mon Nico, have a little Christmas spirit. This isn't even that festive. It has skulls on it. I had it custom made for you!"

"I'm not wearing it." He said flatly.

"It's a present; you HAVE to wear it."

"No," he refused to wear it.

"Nico, please?" She pouted. "For me? After all, I mean so much to you."

"I hate you." He said, taking the sweater.

"No, you don't," she sang, happy that she had gotten her way. "Now, I'm starving, let's go grab breakfast."

"You just want to go see your boyfriend." Nico teased. "You gave me your five minutes, now you are trying to get rid of me."

"Not- not true." She spluttered, blushing. "I do want to see Frank, but I am not trying to get rid of you."

"I don't know, that's the vibe I'm getting." He continued. "I'm just chopped liver to you."

Hazel picked up on his joking manner. "Oh, stop. I know you want to go see your boyfriend just as much. I saw you smiling at your phone earlier. I know who that was. And don't think I didn't notice how late you got home last night. What were you two doing so late at night?"

It was Nico's turn to turn bright-red. "Not-Nothing. How about we get ready for breakfast now?"

"Don't dish it out if you can't handle it, Nico."

"Point-taken." He said as he went into the bathroom to freshen up before he had to see the rest of the Camp. He grit his teeth as he pulled the sweater over his head. It was surprisingly comfortable, but he wouldn't tell Hazel that.

When he emerged a little later, Hazel was wearing a knitted Christmas sweater as well. They had a theme going. Great. He linked arms with his sister and they exited the cabin.

Breakfast had been eaten and the whole camp had come together in order to exchange presents between cabins. The Seven plus Reyna, Nico, Calypso, and Will gathered around a fire with blankets and their presents. Dionysus had lifted the magic barrier blocking the weather, so a think blanket of snow covered the camp. The younger kids were running around, building snowmen and forts. Their group watched with amusement before starting the exchange. Percy stood up first.

"It kinda sucks that I have you all as such close friends because I had to buy presents for all of you." Everyone laughed. "But, that didn't stop me from using all my money to be a giver. If you don't like your gift, you can return it and give me the money back." Nico rolled his eyes at Percy's antics. "I'm joking... kinda. Anyway, I could go on a long speech about how much you all mean to me blah blah blah but I'm sure someone else will cover that later. So, here are your gifts." He began calling out names and throwing packages around. Nico looked up when his name was called. He was about to tear into it when Percy asked him to stop. "It's a joint gift from me and Annabeth. I want everyone to see it."

"Cheap." Nico muttered quietly. He thought no one would hear it, but Will laughed. Percy looked affronted, having heard it as well.

"It's pretty amazing if I don't say so myself."

"You just did." Nico pointed out.

Percy rolled his eyes. "Just indulge in my little game. You can open it now." Nico complied, pulling the wrapping paper off the box. He opened the lid and found a stack of Mythomagic cards.

"Great, now everyone knows I'm a nerd." Nico joked. Percy looked offended. "I'm kidding, I love it Perce."

"They are not just any cards. Open the packaging." Nico obliged. He turned over the first card. It read Ghost King. He didn't allow himself to believe just yet. He looked at the illustration. It was a drawing of him, his Stygian iron blade in his hand.

"Wait," he breathed. He flipped over the card to make sure he wasn't imagining this. The illustration of him was still on the card. "What-how?" He looked up at Percy.

"After we stopped the Civil War part two between us and the Romans, Annabeth and I made a few calls to the company that created Mythomagic. They needed a new idea for the cards, so we told them all about you. You are on a Mythomagic card. The figurines are in production now." Percy explained.

"Are you kidding me? This is amazing! Oh my gods! Percy!" He exclaimed, hopping up. He slammed into Percy giving him a hug. Percy laughed deeply as he wrapped his arms around the son of Hades.

"Nico, I haven't seen you think happy since you were ten." Annabeth mentioned as he hugged her as well. He let go and sprang up.

"This is amazing, I can't believe it! I'm so excited, holy crap! Demigods are going to be playing with me as a card, that's amazing."

"That's not all." Percy said. He turned to address everyone. "The company made cards of all us. The Seven of the Second Great Prophecy, and Reyna, of course."

Nico looked down at the cards in his hand. Each person had gotten their own nickname and powers listed on the card. Wise Girl (Annabeth), The Beast (Frank), Gem Hunter (Hazel), The Praetor (Reyna), The Flame (Leo), Warrior Princess (Piper), Savior of Olympus (Percy), and Lightning (Jason).

"Wow, Percy. This really means so much." Nico said as he passed out the cards so everyone could see them.

"It's the least I can do after everything that you've done for me." Percy put his hand on his neck, looking embarrassed to get so much attention. Annabeth stood and then passed out her presents.

"Thanks for a great year, you guys. I love all of you crazy people." She smiled as she sat back down to Percy.

Frank went next. He had given Nico the _Africanus Expansion_ pack from Mythomagic. "I remembered you saying, right before you got turned into corn, that you never had this pack. So I got it for you."

"A bad memory," Nico said, shivering as he thought about his forced transformation into a stalk of corn. "But I'm happy something good came out of it. Thanks, man." Frank nodded. Leo bumped Frank out of the way.

"Not that that wasn't a tender moment, but it's my turn." He pulled out a box for Nico from his tool belt. He opened the lid and found a shirt inside. It was black with a picture of an angry looking cat with the words 'There is not enough coffee to get me to ride and shine.'

"Let's see it Nico!" Piper called. He turned it. Percy and Jason laughed.

"That's perfect." Jason called out.

"Is this some sort of inside joke?" Nico asked.

"It's a meme." Leo said. "Grumpy cat for the King of Grumpiness. You're welcome."

"Thanks Flameboy." He kept pulling present out of his tool belt for all of their friends. How he had any room in there, Nico didn't know. Jason went next, followed by Piper. They had both had chipped in to buy Nico a new journal and sketchbook with expert colored pencils. He didn't like to admit it, but he really enjoyed drawing and writing. It was an escape for him.

"Just in case you were still interested in it." Piper mentioned.

"It's perfect. Thanks guys." Jason and Piper both smiled at him as Hazel distributed her gifts. Reyna stood a few moments later and gave a box to Nico. Inside was a silver and black bracelet. It wasn't really his style, but he put it on. "Now I know you aren't big on jewelry, but this is a collapsible shield. I got the idea from Tyson's creation for Percy. That way you can stop getting yourself stabbed." Reyna logically stated

Nico pushed a button and it launched into a full shield. It would come in handy. "Thanks Reyna." He collapsed the shield and pulled the Roman into a quick hug. He stayed standing as he opened a large paper bag. "I was too lazy to wrap all your gifts. Sorry."

He threw a tank-top at both Percy and Jason. Percy's read 'Sun's Out, Guns Out, while Jason's had a similar message 'Sky's Out, Thighs Out'.

"Matching shirts for my matching nerds, Water Boy and Thunder Thighs." Nico announced.

"Bro, this is amazing!" Percy exclaimed, looking at Nico with excitement. "I can't wait until summer."

"We can match, Perce." Jason said, holding his shirt over his body.

"Oh brother." Annabeth grumbled. She looked at Nico. "Now they are going to be even more unbearable."

Nico laughed. "Which is why I got you a sketchbook, just like mine. So you can keep yourself entertained while Percy is on his man-dates."

Annabeth took the sketchbook. "Thank you, Nico." She removed the pencil from where it resided, behind her ear, and began sketching out a floor plan.

"For Frank," he reached into his bag. "A pair of Chinese handcuffs." Everyone laughed as Frank turned red, remembering his struggle with this toy. "Just kidding. A set of Mythomagic cards and a Canadian scarf to celebrate your heritage. We really have to play Mythomagic one of these days."

"Am I hearing a challenge, di Angelo?" Frank asked.

"Yes you are. Name a time and place and we will fight." Nico goaded.

"You're on!"

Nico laughed as he handed Piper a pi of combat boots. "I saw you eyeing these when we went shopping the other day. They were on sale so I bought them."

She gasped. "Nico, I love them!" She pulled off her shoes and laced up the combat boots. She stood showing them off. Jason whistled and Leo applauded.

"For Leo, I have a huge container of Legos in my cabin. They were on sale at a thrift store for like $7 so I splurged." He mentioned. "You can pick it up after we finish."

"Dude, I love Legos! There are so helpful for making models." Leo mentioned, his fingers scurrying around as if already planning his next invention.

"And finally for Reyna," he said, slowly reaching into his paper bag. It was a ring in the shape of a maga, the national flower of Puerto Rico. "Merry Christmas."

"This is beautiful." Reyna breathed, admiring it as she slipped it on her finger. She and Nico both had the tendency to roll their rings around on their fingers when they were nervous. The fact that they shared this habit (and both noticed that that shared this habit) made the ring even more special. "Thank you, Nico."

"Well, that's all I got."

"Hey." Will said incredulous. "What about me? You risked your life the other day and didn't get me anything?"

Nico smirked at him and mouthed 'later' as he winked.

"Now that the present-giving has concluded.." Jason smiled. "Let's have some fun." He threw a snowball at Piper.

"Oh, no. You are not going to get away with that!" She challenged, lopping a ball back at him. Soon, everyone was locked in a battle.

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Will's POV:

Will was in Nico's cabin. The day has passed quickly. After a long snowball fight, the group had gone into Jason's cabin and watched Christmas movies throughout the day. Frank and Nico had spent the hours after dinner attempting to teach everyone Mythomagic. After two failed games, Frank and Nico were left to challenge each other. Everyone went to dinner and then the camp sing-a-long where Will had tried out his new guitar strings. Will and Nico had gone back to the Hades cabin. Will pulled out a bag and gave it to Nico. He was so excited for Nico to open his present. Nico grinned as he took the wrapping paper out. His eyes grew very large as he saw what was in the bag.

"Shut up." Nico pulled out the jacket. "Shut UP, Will! Is this an exact replica?!"

"As close as I could get."

"Holy Hera, it's amazing." He put the jacket on. He looked unbelievably attractive in it. "Will, I love it." He planted a kiss on Will's lips. Will parted Nico's lips and pulled him closer. They slowly broke apart. "And I love you."

"I'm glad that you like it." Will whispered, breath ghosting Nico's lips. Nico shivered. He pulled away. Nico removed the box from under his bed and handed it to Will. Will smirked as he opened it. Inside was a record player and a record.

"Nico, you shouldn't have. How much did you spent on this?"

"That doesn't matter. I know you have wanted one of these since yours got broken. So, I got you a new one."

"And a Phantom of the Opera record, yes!" He immediately set up the record player and the sounds of the Broadway musical soon filled the room. Will sat on Nico's bed. Nico joined him.

"Another part of your present is what we talked about months ago. A trip down into the Underworld. You can see my home away from home and maybe talk to some of the friends you've lost." Nico said, playing with Will's hand.

"I would love to do that." He muttered, pulling Nico into his chest. Nico rolled over and nuzzled his face into Will. Will felt satisfied. "Did you have a good Christmas my love?"

"Yeah I did." He murmured into Will's chest. "You?"

"Yes, I did. Especially since I got to spend all day with you." Will kissed the top of Nico's head. Nico sighed happily and snuggled further into Will's chest. Will shut his eyes and listened his new record and enjoyed Nico's warmth. The two boys slowly settled into sleep.


	25. Chapter 25: Changing Tides

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

The cheer that Nico had had around Christmas time faded quickly. Nico had been struggling with nightmares the past two days and have not talked to Will about them, which was odd considering how successful Christmas had gone. And he had gotten some mysterious injuries when training with the Ares cabin. When Will had asked him about them, Nico had brushed him off, calling him overprotective. He had backed off considerably. He eventually coaxed Nico into spending the day with him. It was December 28th, the day Nico and Will had agreed to go to the Underworld. Nico, after weeks of not shadow-traveling, was finally permitted by Will to jump. He had jumped them to Persephone's garden. They laced hands and started a tour of the gardens. They were walking when a dark cloud descended upon them.

"Your father requests your presence" Alecto said, snapping her wizened fingers. Suddenly, Nico and Will were enveloped in a black cloud. Nico cursed and coughed, swatting away at the cloud. When the fog dissipated, they found themselves in the throne room of the Underworld, facing Hades himself. Will immediately dropped to one knee.

"Lord Hades, your highness" he muttered. Nico rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.

"There's no need for that, Will." Will rose hesitantly, neck turning red. "Why have you summoned us here, father?"

"I appreciate the respect I get from some people around here," he said, looking at Will, and shooting a warning look at Nico. He rose from his throne. "You must be the Wayne-"

"-Will-" Nico corrected.

"-Will I've been hearing so much about. It's an honor to meet the boy that makes my son so happy." At this, Nico turned beet red.

"Father please-"

"Child, don't be rude. Why don't you tell me about yourself, Will? What does my great-nephew do with his life?"

Nico looked exasperated, as he cut Will off. "Father, Will and I were attending to some important business. Please let us get back to it. Unless you summoned me here for another reason than just embarrassing me."

Hades' smile curled creepily, but the moment soon passed. "Why can't I meet my son's boyfriend? Isn't that a milestone in a relationship. When the boyfriend meets the family-" Nico grabbed Will's wrist.

"Great to see you father, but we will be going." They almost made it out the door before Hades called them back.

"You need to learn to be respectful to your father, boy!" Nico ignored him, continuing to drag Will out. "Wait, wait, I did call you here for a reason." Nico abruptly stopped, Will running into him. He pivoted and walked over to face his father. He gestured for him to continue. Hades put his hand out, retracted it, and brought it out again, reaching and placing his long fingers on Nico's shoulder. Will couldn't tell who looked more uncomfortable. "I heard some rumors," his eyes flickered to Will and back to Nico. Will's heart sank. So that's why they were here. Will prayed Nico hadn't noticed the glance. "That you are dealing with some enemies at Camp."

Nico's face drained of color. He thought back to the day before the Solstice when Will had discovered he had been beat up by the Ares camper. He looked pale as a ghost as he slowly turned to face Will. "You didn't," he whispered, disbelief lining his face.

Hades cleared his throat, Nico meeting his eyes. "We- I thought it would be in your best interest... I mean, I would be happy to... intervene on your beha-"

"Oh my gods, this can't be happening." A red blush spread across Nico's face. He shrugged his father's hand off and turned to look at Will. "How could you do this? You promised me you wouldn't say anything!" Nico forcefully said.

Will stumbled over his words. "I-I didn't... Nico I didn't mean to! I swear, Nico! I didn't!"

"Oh yeah, well then how did he find out? Have you been in cahoots against me with my own father?" Nico snapped. "I thought you respected the fact that I can fight my own battles!"

"William didn't tell me willingly. I sent Alecto after him after I noticed that you had been injured, and not normal camp injuries, and that you had hurt yourself. Alecto forced Will to tell him what had happened at the Solstice. We are both just trying to look out for you. We want to provide assistance to you. I can help with these children and scare them off..."

Nico cut him off, eyes filled with rage as he looked at Will. "This is why I didn't want to involve anyone. Yeah, I'm having trouble with some of the kids at Camp, I'll admit that. But I didn't want to say anything, because I would be viewed as weak. He is being patronizing because I have defeated Titans and can't overcome a couple of bullies."

Hades rushed to correct his mistake. "That was not my intention, to make you feel weak. Admitting you need help is very bra-"

"No! This is not turning into a counseling session." Nico covered his ears, looking quite uncomfortable.

"Everyone deals with someone they can't face without the help of friends and family, Nico." Will quietly stated. Nico's eyes flashed toward him. He pointed a finger at Will.

"You stay out of this. You are the reason I am in this mess!" He turned back to his father. "I don't need your help. I can fight my own battles. What makes you think that you can just start helping now? After all the times I was bullied or beaten up as a kid in Italy, and in Westover, and in Camp Half-Blood," Hades looked surprised at the mention of Italy. "Don't ask. My memories from before you dipped in the Lethe are beginning to come back. I remember every single time I was bullied as a kid. I was bullied because I was different. And not straight. And small. And missing a parent. I remember praying to my father, to you to help me. Where were you then, huh?" Nico's voice was heavy with emotion, tears on the verge of spilling. Hades opened his mouth to say something, but emotions continued to pour out of Nico. "You weren't there! And you never were, no matter what. I have no idea why you are trying to make up for it now. But please stop. I don't need your help." He turned on Will. "And I especially don't need yours anymore. How dare you go behind my back after promising not to. This is why we broke up the first time. What? Do you still think I'm too weak to handle my own battles? Too weak to deal with some negative comments? Too fragile to take a few punches?"

"You cut yourself Nico! I had to intervene. And you almost got destroyed by those 'few punches'. You were out of commission for days! I was out of commission from healing you too." Will defended himself. The phrase 'and I especially don't need yours' had really stung him.

"Oh so you do think I'm weak? Well maybe I am, but I don't need either of you fighting my battles. They are mine for a reason. So kindly screw off and leave me alone. I don't need your help!" Nico whisked himself away into the shadows, leaving Will and Hades alone in the throne room.

"You can't say he doesn't have a flare for dramatic exits," Hades contemplated, looking at the spot where his son had disappeared. For another minute, they were both silent before Hades spoke again. "Well, that's the end of that. If my son refuses my help, so be it. I will leave him to his own devices. And I take that his reaction proves that he will not be taking me up my offer." He turned to leave. Will took a step forward, gesturing at where Nico had just disappeared.

"Wait!" Hades turned. "Are you just going to give up? You aren't going to go after him?"

"That is what have been requested of me. This is why I so rarely offer my help. It so often gets refused."

"Your son is being victimized! He is facing danger from others as well, emotionally as well as physically. And he is hurting himself because of it. And all you're doing is nothing? Because he asked you to leave him alone?" Will knew he shouldn't be speaking this disrespectfully to a god, especially since the god was the father of his boyfriend, but he couldn't help it.

"What is there to do if he refuses my aid?" Hades asked, eyes flaming.

"Provide love and support. Show him that you care about him." Will politely suggested.

Hades turned away, waving his hand away. "It's no use! Every time I try, he pushes me away."

Will understood Hades frustration. He knew how difficult Nico could be to deal with. "That's no reason to give up! That's another reason to keep fighting for him!"

Hades turned suddenly and got really close to Will, his face looming inches away. "You silly boy do not understand how hard I have fought for my son. To make sure he doesn't end up with me permanently! What gives you the right to speak to me like this?! He is facing this bullying even while you," Hades poked an accusing finger into Will's chest. Will shrank back "are supposed to be there protecting him. And he continues to cut himself. You insolent child are unable to prevent my own son from hurting himself. You don't appear to be there for my son either, so do not lecture me about being absent, especially when I have no say over the matter!"

Will steeled himself, and forced himself to stand up straight, his eyes determined. "I am not there for your son? Are you kidding me? Do not project your frustration at yourself at me. I provide love and support and try to give him a spark of happiness, which is more than you have ever done for him!" Will suddenly felt a white rage at the God of the Underworld for all the hardship he had put Nico through. "Do you understand how many times your son has come to me, beaten up and bloody because of all the errands you send him on? Or from the bullies who gives him a hard time for him being the son of Hades? Or for being gay? It's gotten to the point where I have lost track. Do you understand how many times I have had to rip him from nightmares where you are telling him that he is worthless? Or nightmares about Bianca, whose death you blame on him?" Hades tried to open his mouth, but Will stopped him. "No! It doesn't matter if it 'wasn't your intention'. That's how your son took it and he thinks that you think that Bianca is the better child. When in reality, a parent shouldn't have favorites. He shouldn't care about that because your opinion doesn't matter because you have been absent from his life. Where were you when he fell into Tartarus?!" Hades shrunk back at the mention of this evil place. "Because he was utterly destroyed by that. He is still constantly plagued by nightmares. And you claim that I haven't been there, when in fact I nursed him back to health and have helped to give him the hope and will to survive. So don't you DARE ever tell me that I am not there for your son. Even though he broke up with me, I fought for him and am beginning to get him back. Because I love him more than anything, and judging from how much you are 'there for him', I seem to love him more than you do." Will's voice echoed around the throne room. Everything was silent for a few seconds before Hades started breathing heavily, as if with anger. Will screwed up his eyes, expecting to be turned into a pile of ash. But then Hades released his breath, as if giving up and walked up to his throne. He collapsed onto it, head in his hands. Will let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in.

"You are lucky that my son loves you or you would have just been turned into a pile of bones. And you're also fortunate that you are correct. I am just unsure of how to be there for my son."

"Keep making an effort, and eventually Nico will come around and accept your help. And he is seriously considering your offer. Keep asking. He can be stubborn sometimes." Will said, carefully, not wanting to anger the god.

"You can say that again," Hades looked up, and beckoned Will to the throne. He held out his hand. Will warily took it. Hades shook it vigorously. "Thank you, son of Apollo. For being there for Nico and helping me to see the error of my own ways." Hades released his hand. "Keep an eye out on my son. Although it might not seem like it, I am very proud of his accomplishments and do not want to see him in the Underworld prematurely." Will affirmed by nodding. "You are dismissed."

Stunned, Will walked away, turning to exit the throne room. He made it to the entrance hall before he realized he didn't know how to get out of the Underworld. Nico had abandoned him. Nico had ABANDONED him! He was going to have some choice words with his boyfriend when he returned home. He meekly walked back to the throne room and knocked on the door. "Excuse me, your highness-"

Hades merely looked amused, as he held up a hand. "I was wondering how long it would take you to realize that my son had deserted you with no means to leave. Say no more." Hades snapped his fingers and Will was enveloped in a black cloud. He emerged coughing on the sands of Long Island. He turned and saw the Camp in full swing. He wondered why Hades had deposited him there. He slowly rotated, surveying the beach. He spotted a dark shape, huddled in the shadows of the dunes. So that was why. He sauntered over to his boyfriend. As he approached, Nico glanced up. Will spotted tear tracks running down his pale face, before a black sleeve wiped them away.

"I don't want to talk to you. Leave me alone."

Will sighed as he plodded down right next to Nico. He kicked off his shoes and buried his feet into the warm sand. "Alright, well we don't have to talk. We can just sit here." He leaned back on his elbows, closing his eyes as he felt the sun radiating down on him. It was silent except for the crashing of the waves and the distant chatter of the camp. Suddenly, Nico disrupted the silence.

"How did you get out?"

"You mean after you abandoned me?" He slitted his eyes, sneaking a glance at Nico's face. He looked miserable.

"Oh don't try to make me feel guilty right now. I'm not the one in the wrong." Nico muttered.

Will closed his eyes before responding. "Your father gave me an airlift." Nico didn't respond, so Will continued. "Your father and I had a little conversation." Will felt Nico shift uncomfortably next to him.

"I have no desire to hear what my father has to say. I don't really have a desire to hear what you have to say either. You promised me that you wouldn't do this again. And you did it. Maybe we should have stayed broken up."

"I know that me overprotecting you was a part of why we did break up, and I apologize for continuing to do that. But, you also admitted that you broke up with me because you are trying to distance yourself from people to avoid hurting me. Let me tell you that you are not getting rid of me that easily."

"I'm not trying to get rid of you. I just want you to understand that I'm a big boy and can take care of myself." Nico said.

"Is that why you cut yourself?"

"You don't get to judge me."

"Nico, there is no judgment from me, but you have to realize that I'm just trying to help you overcome your self-harm-"

Nico interrupted him. "Which is difficult to do. Especially with everyone always hovering, whispering behind my back, wondering if I'm okay. I'm not okay. And I'm struggling to overcome my... problem. But, you being overprotective doesn't solve my problem. And I don't know if I can handle it on my own, but these past few months, I haven't been allowed to."

"But, when I was gone, you almost destroyed yourself." Will pointed out.

"I know. I had a low point. I haven't told anyone this or even address it myself, but I was so infatuated with you over the summer that I got dependent on you. And it was a terrible shock when you left."

"Oh, so I'm only an infatuation to you?" Will spitefully said.

"Will, that's not what I meant. You know that." Nico sighed heavily. "I broke up with you because I wanted to distance myself from that dependency I had on you. That dependency also fed your overprotectiveness so that part is partially my fault. I allowed you to overprotect me."

Will looked sadly at the son of Hades. "I was just trying to be there for you. I was just trying to help."

"Trust me, I know. I know it wasn't your intention to overwhelm me. But you did. And I should have stopped you and myself sooner, but I didn't. And now I'm correcting that mistake."

Will was afraid to ask. "What do you mean by that?"

Nico took a deep breath. "We need to take a break. Let me speak." He said as Will tried to interrupt. The son of Apollo slowly closed his mouth. "I'm not saying that I want to break up, but I need space from you, our relationship, this concern everyone seems to have for me. I'm leaving after New Year's Day so I can enjoy the holidays, but I need time and space to heal and accept what my life is and who I am as a person. I need space to figure out my triggers and my nightmares and all that crap. As much as I hate to, I'm taking my father up on his offer. I know he's been overprotective, but I can always count on him to give me the space I need. I've put some real thought into this and I've decided to spend a couple of months and figure out everything and live with him in the Underworld. And once I figure things out, or try to, I'm going to come home. And we can try again."

Will was speechless. "I- it seems like you've thought this through."

Nico nodded. "I did. I was going to give you another chance to change, but you kinda blew that tonight."

"Nico, I am so sorry-"

"- I know-"

"-I never meant for any of this to happen-"

"- No one ever does-"

"-Can you ever forgive me?" Will asked, eyes sincere.

Nico smiled. "I forgave you the minute you apologized. I love- I care about you. You made a mistake. Everyone makes them. Now I just need time to heal. Can you understand that?"

"Of course. Whatever you need to be happy. I would do anything for you." Will promised.

Nico laced his hand with his. "Thank you for being so understanding. I love you."

Will nodded, tears coming to his eyes. "I love you too." Nico nestled his head into the crook of Will's neck. Will closed his eyes and prayed to the heavens above _Please don't let him leave me. I can't lose him. Not like this._


	26. Chapter 26: Fireworks

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

It was after dinner on New Year's Eve. Nico was packing up all his belongings. For now, he would move into his father's palace and then maybe spend some time at Camp Jupiter. He just needed to get away from Camp Half-Blood and from all the painful memories it brought him. One day, he would be able to call the Camp his home again. Because that's what home is. It's a collection of memories of good times and terrible hardships, but in the end the people who are a part of home and your family, they will always be there for you. Nico needed to find himself and who he was as person before he could accept Camp Half-Blood as his home. He heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." The door slowly swung open. He turned to see Will standing in the door. He hadn't seen Will since that afternoon on the beach three days prior. He looked awful. He had bags under his eyes and his usually tan complexion was pale. Nico sighed deeply. He knew he was hurting Will by leaving, but he had to do it. This wasn't about his feelings towards Will. He felt terrible, but he needed time to heal. And he needed to do it alone. "Hello."

Will looked around at his packed bags. "When are you leaving?"

"I was planning to leave tonight." Nico stated, not allowing emotion to fill his voice. He turned away from Will as he tucked some shirts into the bag so Will couldn't see his face.

"I thought-" Will's voice cracked. "I thought you weren't leaving until tomorrow night. I thought you were staying for New Year's Day tomorrow."

"I was going to, but I really-" Nico stopped, struggling for the right words. "I feel claustrophobic. I feel like I'm being boxed in. I have to get out of here."

"I understand." A long silence ensued. Will broke it. "Have you told anyone that you are leaving yet?"

"No."

"Oh."

"I decided that since half of them are going back to Camp Jupiter, it won't make that much of a difference." Nico explained as he continued to pack. "I was going to tell the rest of them as I was leaving so they don't try to deter me from going."

"I see." Will mumbled. "Have you said anything about us?" He asked, referring to their break-up/space.

"No, but they have their suspicions." Nico said. "They've noticed that we haven't spent any time together the last couple of days."

"Right."

"Anyway, they will probably just interfere again, like last time, but I already made my decision. Letters aren't going to change that." Nico regretted his words a moment later. Will had spent a long time procuring those letters and had gone out of his way to ask his friends for help. He turned to apologize. "Will, I didn't mean- those letters were so-"

"It's fine." Will interrupted, implying that it wasn't fine. "I know what you meant."

"Perhaps it's better for me to leave now. Before I cause any more damage." Nico reasoned and sped up his packing process. He felt a tentative hand on his shoulder.

"Nico." Will whispered under his breath. Nico turned to face him. He looked deeply into his eyes. Water threatened to spill over the long lashes. "Please don't go."

Nico's heart broke. "I have to Will; you know I do."

Will blinked. "I know. Just please wait until tomorrow to leave. Please stay until tomorrow night."

"Will-"

"Spend one last night with me. One last good memory before you leave. Celebrate the New Year. Please. I need you." Will confessed. His eyes were huge. Nico couldn't say no. He dropped his bag.

"Okay." He agreed. "I'll stay."

Will smiled. He slowly moved in to kiss Nico, giving Nico plenty of time to stop him. But Nico didn't stop him. He knew that he should stop him. They were just going to be more attracted to one another, which would make it harder for him to leave. But he didn't stop him. Because as much as he tried to deny it, he wanted Will. He didn't want to leave him. Will's lips touched his. A mini explosion set off in Nico and he was overcome with a wave of passion. He pressed his lips harder into Will's. Will parted his lips. He took a moment to stop the kiss and breathe, but Nico wasn't having it. He grabbed Will's shirt and pushed him until his back was against the wall. He pinned Will's hands down and took control. He locked lips with Will. He wasn't ready to lose his boyfriend. He deepened the kiss and Will elicited a small moan. He smirked as he continued making out with his boyfriend. Will, suddenly overcome with passion, grabbed Nico forcefully and pushed him against the wall. As Nico gasped in surprise, Will kissed him. Nico's eyes slid shut as Will's hands knotted themselves in his hair. Suddenly, Will pulled on Nico's locks causing Nico to breathe in deeply as he tilted his head back, exposing his neck. Will attacked it, leaving searing kisses on Nico's skin. Will gently pulled Nico's shirt aside at the collar. Nico gasped loudly as Will began to leave a bruising mark on his pale skin. Nico moved to grab Will's hair, but Will possessively pinned his arms against the wall, not allowing Nico to have any control.

"You aren't going anywhere." Will growled.

"I.. I wasn't planning on it," Nico stuttered, breathless. Will smirked and focused back on the mark he was making. Nico's eyes rolled in the back of his head as he was focusing on the sensations he was feeling. Eventually, satisfied that he had claimed Nico, Will slowly lead him from the wall back to his bed. Nico laid down and Will propped himself over him. Nico reconnected their lips. They both tussled for dominance before Nico relented. Will deserved it. After all, Nico was leaving. As he thought about how he was leaving, Nico became distracted. He stopped kissing Will. Will looked into his eyes and saw what Nico was thinking. He had always been able to read Nico so well.

"Don't think about that right now. Just focus on me." Will whispered into Nico's ear, making him squirm. "Think about the way I'm making you feel."

"Good. You are making me feel good." Nico gasped.

"Then let that wash over you. No distractions. Don't worry about what tomorrow will bring. Focus on the present." Will murmured, sitting up. He asked Nico to turn over. Nico obliged and soon he found Will's warm hand between his shirt and his back. He squirmed away from Will's touch at first but then eased back into it. Will slowly started kneading into his back, working out all the tight knots. Nico groaned as Will loosened a huge tension in his shoulder. After ten minutes of what felt like a deep-tissue massage, Nico felt more relaxed than he had been in weeks.

"You have so much tension in you. You need to learn to relax and let go of it all." Will's mouth moved in close proximity to Nico's ear so he could feel Will's breath on him. Will lightly kissed the back of his neck before beginning to lightly trace Nico's back with his fingers. Nico writhed, trying to get away from the tickling sensation, but Will held him in place. Nico eventually stopped struggling and relaxed into the touch. The way Will's hands moved across his back left tingling sensations all over Nico's body. He felt an immense wave of pleasure go through him. He turned back over to look at Will. His eyes felt droopy with sleep and relaxation. Will smiled. He leaned back down and ghosted Nico's jaw and the moment Nico thought he was going in for a kiss, Will moved his mouth away again. He lightly kissed Nico's cheek and worked his way back to Nico's mouth, but didn't lean into to Nico's waiting lips. Nico sighed in frustration. Will smirked. The audacity of this boy. On his third go around, he ghosted Nico's lips and continued to deny Nico his kiss. Nico snarled and grabbed Will by his belt pulling the older boy down on top of him. While he was distracted, Nico eagerly kissed his boyfriend. The teasing had made the kiss all that more explosive. Nico turned them over so he was on top. He looked down at Will, whose tan skin was in deep contrast with the black bedspread he was lying on. He allowed his thoughts to become all about Will. He moved back down to recapture Will's lips into his.

About an hour later, a knock on the door startled Will and Nico from their make-out session. Nico sat up quickly, pushing Will up so they would look like they were just talking. Jason entered the cabin when no one answered.

"Nico," he said. He saw Will. "Oh, I didn't realize you were in here, Will." He seemed to be processing what he saw. Nico's shirt was ridding up and Will's hair was askew. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, we were just talking." Nico lied quickly.

"I'm sure-" Jason squinted his eyes. "Nico, is that a bruise on your ne-"

"Why did you come in here Jason? What do you need?" Nico averted from the question.

"Right, well, it's already 11 o'clock and the New Year's Party has already started so I was coming in here to check and see if you were coming." Jason explained. "I can go if you all need me to."

"No, that's okay." Will said. "We will come out and join you all."

Jason smiled. "Great! I'll see you both out there." He closed the door. Nico and Will looked at each other. They laughed in relief.

"That was a close one." Nico said.

"Yeah. You might want to wear a jacket to cover up that mark on your neck." Will teased. "You can wear your new aviator jacket."

Nico turned bright red. "Yeah, true. We should head out. Before they start to get suspicious."

He stood and grabbed his jacket from his chair. He also pulled on his shoes and his skull ring. He and Will walked outside of the cabin and headed to the beach. Some pavilions had been set up with fire pits keeping off the cold. Pop music was flowing throughout the beach and everyone was dancing in the center. There was a huge DJ stand, projector, and lighting booth, but Nico couldn't see who was DJing. Nico and Will skirted towards the outside of the group eventually coming across Jason, Hazel, and Frank who were sitting in lawn chairs. Hazel was sitting on Frank's lap.

"Nico!" Hazel said excitedly, speaking loudly over the music. "And Will." She saw their interlocked hands. "I haven't seen you recently. How are you?" As Nico had guessed, she had been suspicious of the two boy's failures to hang out.

"I've been doing great, swamped at the infirmary and busy with schoolwork too." Will lied.

"Oh? So does that mean after break, you are heading back down to Florida?" She asked warily, not wanting Will to abandon Nico again, not knowing that Nico was leaving himself.

"I wasn't planning to head back until February and catch up on school work, but my plans changed." He looked at Nico as he spoke. Nico refused to make eye contact with his sister whose questioning glare was burning into him.

"Like?"

"Just family stuff. My mom wants me home." Will lied so easily, Nico wondered how often he did it to him.

"Say no more, I won't pry. Glad you decided to come out and hang with us." She said happily.

"Where's Piper?" Nico asked as he turned to Jason. Nico and Piper had gotten relatively close over the holidays and he was tempted to tell her what was happening.

"Somewhere in the crowd dancing with Annabeth and Reyna and Thalia." He was surveying the crowd for his girlfriend and his sister.

"Reyna, dancing?" The thought brought a smile to Nico's face. "I'd pay good drachmas to see that."

"Well Romans do throw pretty killer parties. Back in the day, Reyna had some smooth moves."

"Oh yeah," Nico remembered. "I always forget how close you and Reyna were back before you came here. Didn't you guys used to date?"

"It was more flirting than anything else." Jason reminisced. "I do miss her being my other half. When we fought, we would move in sync and nothing would stand in our way. We were perfectly in unison. I kinda miss that uniformity and connection with her."

"That sounds pretty amazing." Nico said in awe. "I wouldn't be able to ever rely that fully on someone."

"Not even Will?" Jason said quietly, unaware that Will could most definitely hear him. Both Will and Nico tensed at his words. They reminded both boys that Nico was leaving. Nico was saved from answering as Piper jumped out of the crowd and grabbed Jason's arm, pulling him into the crowd.

Nico breathed a sigh of relief, but he didn't trust himself to look up into Will's eyes. A second later, Percy appeared in front of Nico and pulled him into the pit as well. Nico started to panic, hating being around so many people. Someone grabbed his hand. He whipped around to find Will holding his hand, having seen his face of panic. Having Will there calmed him down immediately. He looked slowly around realizing that he was safe and nothing was attacking him. He relaxed even more and focused on the beat of the music. It flowed though him and everyone else dancing. He watched as some people danced gracefully, moving in time with the music, while others flailed around, causing laughter to those around them. Percy, Jason, and Thalia were pushing each other around in the center of what was called a mosh pit. Boys (and Thalia) will be boys Nico thought rolling his eyes. Leo was on the stage as the DJ with Calypso by his side. Seeing Leo gave him some hope that stage and lights had been built by him, but Nico didn't even want to know how much of that equipment had been stolen. He just hoped it would be returned in the morning. He glanced around some more and saw Jason and Piper doing some intense tangoing. Reyna and Annabeth were moving in time with the music. Nico eventually had started to tap his foot and now he was lightly bouncing. Will laughed with him and they both started to dance.

About a half an hour later, one of Leo's siblings came on stage and whispered something in his ear. His face focused with understanding and he clapped his sister on the shoulder. He slowly turned down the music and soon everyone started to quiet down.

"Alright party people, I know we all want DJ Valdez to keep the tunes blasting, but Nyssa told me that the fireworks show will begin. So start to find your favorite people and get a blanket on the beach because this is one event you won't wanna miss. Get ready to ring in the New Year, you crazy people." His words sent a loud cheer through the crowd. The crowd slowly started dispersing. Leo fiddling with some buttons on the projector and soon footage of the ball in New York City was depicted on the screen. Nico sought out Will, who had joined his siblings for a while to dance, and grabbed his hand. They picked a blanket on the beach near Hazel and Frank. Will sprawled across the blanket and Nico joined him, looking up at the stars.

"I don't want this night to end." Nico whispered. Will turned his head to face Nico.

"It's doesn't have to. You don't have to leave." Will suggested. "We could make it work."

"I have to, Will, you know I have to." Nico groaned. "Besides, you have to go back home to Florida soon anyway. There's no reason for me to stay if you aren't even going to be here.

Will pouted. "I know. You have to go. I know you are planning on leaving tomorrow during the day, but will you please stay for the Capture the Flag game? For tradition?" Nico was already pushing his luck by staying tonight and now Will was asking him to stay again. He had a feeling, if he stayed, that Will would continually ask him to stay and he would. Eventually, he would end up just living at camp again. He looked into Will's eyes. He couldn't leave him.

"Okay I will stay, but only under one condition." Will stayed silent to show that he was listening. "You cannot ask me to stay anymore. After tomorrow night, I'm leaving. And you cannot beg me to stay."

"Alright, I won't."

"Promise?" Nico asked.

"Pinky-promise!" Will said, holding out his finger. Nico rolled his eyes, but interlocked his finger with Will's. As they touched, the first firework went off. The two boys sat up quickly as the night sky filled with vibrant colors. They watched the sky, holding onto each other for support, when invisible nymphs began passing out sparkling cider. It was two minutes until midnight. Everyone got up, ready to ring in the New Year. The TV was turned up and the countdown began.

"60-59-58-57" the crowd chanted in Times Square.

"Nico," Will's voice made him turn around. "I know it's been a hard year for you and me, but it's also been an amazing one."

"46-45-44-43-42."

"I'm so happy that we started dating and I want you to know, that no matter what, I love you with all of my heart. And nothing will change that."

"32-31-30-29-28."

"Will." Nico stuttered. "Even though I'm leaving, I love you so much. You are my rock. You can calm me down. Will Solace, I love you."

"19-18-17-16."

"I'm so grateful that I get to spend the last moments of the year with you, Nico." Will lovingly said. Nico hugged him.

"Me too." They both looked towards the screen. Then all had almost hit the bottom.

"10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1! HAPPY NEW YEAR." The camp screamed in unison, as fireworks exploded behind them. Everyone quickly turned as the night sky lit up once more. Nico looked at Will and before he knew it, Will was kissing him again. Fireworks went off in Nico's stomach as much as they did in the starry night. Nico smiled, happy he had stayed for this. He felt so happy, surrounded by all the people he loved.


	27. Chapter 27: West 57th

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

Hazel and Nico were sparring the arena. They were watched by the Ares cabin, and Nico could help but sense a feeling of foreboding, like something bad was going to happen. One of the members of the cabin was the kid who had beat him up at the beginning of December. He was glaring a hole into Nico's back and he had a feeling that their business together wasn't over. He didn't know much about the kid except for the fact that he was dating Drew. Ugh. Nico pushed it from his mind as he focused back on his sister.

Nico, a more experienced swordsman, was showing Hazel the ropes and basics of sword fighting. She could do some damage with a cavalry knife, but her "New Year's Resolution" was to become more skilled with different kind of weapons. The kind of resolution that every brother aspires for his sister to pursue.

Even after merely two or three hours of training, Hazel's skills had improved dramatically and she had almost mastered disarming Nico. But, he still had the upper hand as he disarmed her once again.

"You can't let your opponent get under your sword, because then they will be able to disarm you easily. Focus. It's not always about strength. Sometimes it's just about technique." Nico instructed. Hazel closed her eyes, letting his words flow over her. When she opened them, she attached Nico with a vengeance and eventually his sword clattered to the ground. He grinned. "Nice job, Hazel! Excellent!"

"You're a good teacher, Nico. You have to continue to help me." She said excitedly. Her comment caused a wave a guilt to pass over Nico. He was leaving late tonight, but he hadn't gotten the chance to tell her yet. He thought now was as good of a time as any.

"Hey, Hazel-" his confession was interrupted.

"Nico!" He whirled around to see Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia entering the arena. "We've been looking for you."

"What's going on?" Nico asked grabbing a towel. His conversation with Hazel would have to wait.

"Well, a long time ago, in a galaxy far away..." Percy quoted, looking off into the distance. Annabeth elbowed him in the stomach.

"During the Battle of Manhattan, Thalia, Percy, and I wanted to all get cheeseburgers at the hotel on West 57th. We did, but it's always a tradition to go back there when we are together. We wondered if you wanted to come." Annabeth explained.

"Would you even want me there?" Nico asked.

"Yeah, we are trying to get the original squad back together. Grover is getting back from a mission today and Rachel is spending the day in New York, so we all wanted to meet up, like the good old days." Percy stated. Grover was very busy with his woodland-y job and Rachel was still fulfilling her promise to her father to attend that boarding school, so the fact that they were coming to Camp Half-Blood was huge.

"The good old days? It was like a year ago." Nico scoffed.

"Still, we all went our separate ways and I want us all to come back together." Percy said.

"Look, are you gonna come or not?" Thalia demanded. "Cause we need to head out soon. The place gets packed and I want to be back to ream all you guys in Capture the Flag tonight."

"Yeah, I guess I'll come. You okay with that Hazel? I know we were supposed to spend the day together-" Nico asked before Hazel interjected.

"Nico, it's fine. Go have fun. I'll go hang out with Piper. I'll be fine." She smiled. Nico nodded and followed the three demigods out of the arena. He asked them how they were getting downtown.

"We were hoping you could shadow-jump us?" Percy asked. "If Will would be okay with that-"

"Will doesn't dictate what I do with my life, thanks." Nico retorted harshly. Annabeth raised her eyebrow suspiciously at Nico.

"I meant as your doctor." Percy added.

"I'm fine to shadow-travel. I can transport you three, no problem." He claimed, not knowing if he would physically be able to. He hadn't traveling that many demigods in such a long time. But he had to do it eventually. He led them over to a tree on the outskirts of the woods. "Everyone grab hold." They did and Nico allowed himself to melt into the shadows, pulling them out in the middle of New York. He stumbled, but Percy grabbed him before he went headfirst into a dumpster.

"Thanks." He gasped as he stood.

He grabbed a square of emergency ambrosia from his pocket, shoving it into his mouth to fend off the impending dizziness. Percy nodded and indicated for Thalia to lead the way. The four demigods winded through the busy streets of New York. This was technically Nico's home at this point. He knew he lived in Italy, but a majority of his life was spent in Las Vegas. He didn't consider the Lotus Casino to be his home, so that left Westover and Long Island. Bad memories were rooted up at Westover and there were more good times than bad at Camp Half-Blood so Nico considered it his home. He noticed that Annabeth lagged behind to walk with him while Percy and Thalia bickered.

"I picked up on your harshness towards Will." Annabeth said point-blank.

"What are you talking about?" Nico played dumb. Maybe she would let it go.

"Oh, c'mon, your tone of voice gave me a clue that you guys are fighting. And you haven't been around him all week. What's going on?"

"We are taking a break." Nico confessed, realizing that any deception with Annabeth was futile. She didn't even blink.

"Why?

"He interfered with something I was going through and brought my father into it. I'm taking a break from him and Camp Half-Blood. I need to work through all my shit." Nico explained.

"I understand that. Sometimes the people we love can't fix all of our problems." Annabeth looked sadly at Percy as she spoke. She noticed Nico looking at her. "Tartarus and my journey through underground Rome is difficult to talk about sometimes. Percy doesn't always get it."

"That's how I feel with Will and Hazel." Nico mentioned. "It hard to explain and even harder to get them to see how terrible it truly was. But, I'm always here to talk to you about if you need me. I might not totally understand but I do have some context."

"Thank you, Nico. I appreciate that more than you can imagine." Annabeth smiled. A commotion ahead of them ended their conversation. Grover had tackled Percy in a hug.

"Perrrrcy!" He bleated. "I missed you so much!"

"Me too. I miss all of our adventures." Percy said into Grover's shoulder. Rachel was there was well. Rachel gave a hug to Thalia. Grover ended his hug with Percy to attack Annabeth. Annabeth smiled and returned the hug that Grover bestowed upon her. Grover looked towards Nico. He went for a hug but decided on a handshake.

"Nico, wow, it's been so long." Grover awkwardly tried to make conversation. "How've you been?"

"Peachy." Nico said snarkily.

"Good to see that you haven't changed a bit." Grover laughed. Rachel hugged Percy as Grover and Nico spoke. Nico listened to what she was saying.

"Percy, I foresaw that we would meet again."

"Shut up, Dare. I texted you."

She laughed. "You caught me." She turned. "Annabeth!"

"Rachel, I've missed you!" Annabeth cordially remarked.

"Hey, we are here to eat, so can we do that?" Thalia said, indicating that they had arrived at the hotel. "We can talk during our meal, but I need food. Now."

Percy opened the door to the hotel. "After you." He swept his arm dramatically and bowed as Thalia, Rachel, and Annabeth entered. Nico and Grover followed close behind. Thalia asked for a table for 6 and they were soon seated.

"Well, I know what I'm getting." Thalia asserted as soon as the waitress had passed out the menus. "Everyone else?"

The table ordered cheeseburgers all around (with a veggie burger for Rachel and Grover) and soon they were left to their own devices. Grover launched into a story to Annabeth and Thalia about one of his many adventures while Rachel started talking to Percy and Nico.

"How has everything at camp been?" She asked, suspicion in her voice.

"Everything is good. Why?" Percy asked realizing her tone change.

"I haven't been having dreams..." she started. Percy and Nico both leaned forward, curious, because Rachel's dreams were usually pretty significant. She was the Oracle of Delphi after all. "Which is weird. I usually get little traces of dreams and prophecies during the night. But, everything has stopped."

"One of the nymphs on Olympus told us that Apollo had been exiled when we went for the Solstice." Nico offered.

"The Council blames Apollo for the war. Council, I should say Zeus." Percy glanced up at the heavens as if expecting Zeus to smite him. But nothing happened. "Even though it really wasn't his fault."

"I figured something had happened to Apollo." Rachel sighed. "He usually keeps in close contact with me." The noise in the restaurant had lessened. Grover had finished his story and the three others at the table had started listening to Rachel's concerns.

"No one had heard from him since August and the end of the war when he disappeared from Olympus." Annabeth informed.

"What do you think they did to him?" Grover asked, nervously chewing on his shirt before Annabeth slapped his hand away. They were in public after all.

"No idea. Probably turned him into a bug and squished him." Percy leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "He's immortal so he's probably fine. They'll just exile him for a few centuries and then he'll be back."

"But what if the prophecies aren't able to come back until he is restored to Olympus?" Rachel questioned. "I sense something dark is coming. I just don't know what. My vision is clouded."

"Artemis is also worried about her brother." Thalia advocated. "She left us at Camp Half-Blood so she could search for him. We will rejoin her in the next day or two to help her with her search."

"Hopefully you will have luck in finding him." Grover said. "We all know how hard it was to find Pan."

"Yeah, just drink a lot of coffee," Percy smirked. "That's how Grover found Pan. Remember when you first had the sign on our quest with Thalia to find Annabeth and Artemis."

"Of course I do. Remember that rubber rat you bought that ran away. And Bianca..." Grover cut himself off, looking at Nico. Everyone got really quiet as Nico turned red.

"You can talk about her. I'm not fragile. I'm not going to break if you tell me." Nico muttered.

"No one said you were weak." Annabeth placated.

"The fact that you all went silent said as much. You don't want to upset me so you stopped talking about her." Nico reasoned.

"We just know how you get, Nico." Thalia said bluntly, missing the warning glances from Percy and Annabeth.

"Know how I get? You know how I got when I was ten, Thalia. Do you dare act like you know how I am now." Nico said defensively.

"Your reaction just proved my point." Thalia asserted. "And the fact that your arms are lined with scars." Nico pulled his jacket sleeves over his hands, thinking his arms had been visible, while everyone at the table went silent.

"How did you know that?" Nico finally broke the silence.

"I didn't. I made an educated guess. And the way you shriveled up and got defensive proved my guess." Thalia looked proud of herself.

"Thalia-" Annabeth warned.

"What in Hades is your problem with me, Grace?" Nico spat. "What have I ever done to you? If anyone should be mad at anyone, it should be me mad at you. You are the one who convinced my sister to join you and go on that suicide mission!"

"Sorry if I'm interrupting," the waitress had returned with a tray of food. "Who ordered the veggie burgers?"

Rachel and Grover raised their hands. The waitress put the plate on the table and began passing out the rest of their meals. Nico pushed his fries around on the plate, too on edge to eat. He glanced around and watched as everyone at the table inhaled their food. Nico knew he should eat considering he had to shadow travel then all back to camp and play Capture the Flag, but his conversation with Thalia had shaken him up. He was done with the petty drama that being at camp lead to. He couldn't wait to leave camp. His thoughts were interrupted by Thalia interjecting.

"I didn't know your sister that well, kid, but her and Zoë's sacrifice convinced me to join the Hunter's. I think you forget that I wasn't a part of the Hunter's when your sister joined. I actually was against the idea of her joining. But she made up her own decision. Completely independent of my opinions. So you need to face the fact that she sacrificed herself and it wasn't Percy's or my fault. The only one to blame for your sister's death is your sister." Thalia explained.

Nico felt a wave of rage build up, but it slowly dissipated into a feeling of emptiness. He had been blaming Bianca's death on Thalia and Percy for years. Having someone to blame for her death made it easier to handle. But now, memories of Bianca were wretched up. He had no one to blame but her anymore. He didn't know where to direct his anger and feeling of revenge anymore.

"Nico?" Percy asked, putting his hand on his shoulder. Nico pulled his shoulder out of Percy's grasp.

"I'm fine." Nico said shortly. He gained eye contact with Thalia. "Thank you for telling me. I'm sorry for blaming you all these years. Same to you Percy. I didn't have all the facts, and exacted my anger on the wrong people. I apologize for that."

"Apology accepted." Thalia muttered.

"Maybe we can start fresh?" Nico inquired. "No more hate, no more loathing glances?"

"Deal." Thalia reached her hand across the table, shaking it with Nico's. "Now let's see what we can do about dessert!"


	28. Chapter 28: Skirmishes

_Warnings: extreme violence and homophobia. Please do not read if any of these themes upset you._

 _Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

Capture the Flag was about to start. It was the Hunters and Romans versus the rest of the camp. Chiron was going over ground rules.

"No severe maiming." He admonished. "Our medics are already worked hard enough. And it's cold out there, so please keep warm. The medics will have thermal blankets should anyone get too cold. When the game is concluded, please report back here. The forest is dangerous and we want to be able to do a head count to make sure everyone is safe. Listen to your captains, and good luck Campers."

Nico had been appointed captain. He guessed that after Camp Half-Blood's victory, more people respected Nico's leadership skills. He made Jason his co-captain. Jason was in charge of offense while Nico took defense. The camp had broken off into two groups to discuss strategy. Percy would be the diversion this time as the Hunters would be expecting him to try to get the flag again. It was decided that Piper would go get the flag as no one would be expecting her. Nico would hold a heavy defense on their flag again and he would not try to summon skeletons this week. He was still a little sluggish after shadow-traveling everyone home and he knew that Will noticed. Will also had picked up on his edginess after talking about Bianca the whole afternoon. He was burning a hole into his head as Nico gave out instructions. When the team broke off to take up their positions, Will came over to Nico.

"Did you shadow travel today?"

"No." Nico lied. Will raised his eyebrow and grabbed Nico's hand.

"Your residual darkness doesn't say that." Will lectured.

"You aren't going to be able to lecture or stop me when I go off on my own, Will." Nico informed, pulling his hand away.

"That doesn't mean I can't do it now. I'm just trying to help-"

"I know. Let's get started." He said. He needed to start the game, wanting to work off all the terrible feelings inside of him. "I'll see you later."

Will was medic again, so he wouldn't be participating. Nico turned, pulling his jacket closer to him. There was snow on the ground and it was a little chilly outside. He entered into the forest, his defensive team following him. Annabeth ran up next to him. She nodded at him and veered in the other direction. He ordered his group into position around the clearing. He heard Chiron blow the conch. The game had started. He took his position in the shadow of a tree. The position he had taken was only a hundred feet from the border. He was the first line of defensive. As predicted, Hazel led a charge right down the middle, running into the clearing and failing to see Nico's men and women. He smirked. Hazel stopped her group and slowly turned, sensing something amiss. The two siblings gained eye-contact. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Now!" Nico screamed.

"Ambush!" Hazel yelled simultaneously, throwing her sword up. Nico lunged from his hiding place and disarmed a Hunter of her bow. He deflected an arrow and clashed with another's sword. He pushed the girl back and she tripped over a branch. Lou Ellen was a little ways away and had conjured a string of rope around Hazel's hands. The rest of Nico's defense rounded up the four Hunter's and Hazel and led them to the prison, run by Clarisse. Nico run to go meet up with Annabeth's group. He was by himself when he heard a scream. He slowed to a stop to listen for it again. It was coming from a darker part of the forest. He headed towards it. He had never made it this far into the forest before. He continued running before he was blind-sided. A huge force knocked him off his feet and sent him sprawling into a tree. He felt one of his ribs crack. He groaned and got to his feet quickly, looking for his attacker. He failed to see any of the Hunters. He pulled out his sword.

"Show yourself!" He commanded.

"Make the kid a leader and he finally acts like a man." A familiar gruff voice sounded. Oh no. Nico felt panicked as an Ares kid stepped out of the shadows. It was the guy who had beaten him up earlier. The one who had been glaring at him the previous day. Two of his siblings stepped out as well. "But, you don't really have the strength of a leader, now do you?"

"What do you want?"

The camper laughed. "I want you to suffer and I plan to arrange that."

"Beat him to a pulp, Aaron."

"Yeah, make him pay, Stevenson." His two cronies encouraged. Nico looked around, spotting Drew hidden in the shadows. She had been the one to scream. This was a trap.

"Let's see, what problem do you have with me today, Aaron?" Nico questioned, trying to buy himself time to think of a plan. "Does my hair color offend you? Are you upset that you didn't get my position as head of defense?"

"I don't think that scrawny little gays should get positions made for men." His brothers laughed.

"Insulting my sexuality again, are we? Wow, so original." Nico sassed.

"You're pathetic. A week back, you crying about your sister. You attacked Piper cause you can't control your emotions, but Jason beat you in your duel quite easily. You are only able to take on defenseless women huh? Oh, and I heard that you were being disgusting when making out with your boyfriend."

The air was sucked out of Nico's lungs. "How-how did you know about all that?"

He shrugged, crossing his arms. "I have my sources. But imagine what would happen to your reputation if that got out. The terrifying son of Hades, crying over his sister, attacking women. They will finally see who you really are."

Nico felt a wave of fear, but he pushed it down. "You wanna see who I really am?" He let out a yell of frustration and skeletons broke through again. "This is who I really am."

Aaron's two henchmen started slicing the skeletons. Aaron grabbed Nico by the throat and slammed him against the tree.

"I see who you are-" Nico choked out. "You are too weak to beat me, so you brought your friends."

Aaron tightened his grip. "That is not true! I'm not the weak one here. You are." His friends had cut down the skeletons. They came over to Aaron's side and held Nico against the tree. Aaron started punching Nico in the gut. "Slicing your wrists." Punch. "Panicking over scary dreams." Punch. "Crying over your dead sister." Punch. "Attacking defenseless people because you can't control yourself." Punch. He started coughing up blood. "Getting angry because of daddy issues. You are powerless. And weak. You are nothing." Nico felt another wave of rage and summoned more skeletons. Aaron punched Nico in the face, repeatedly, breaking his nose. Nico felt blood running down his nostrils. The skeletons broke through the surface and pulled the two boys off Nico. He fell to the ground as the dead overpowered the two sons of Ares. Aaron kicked him in the stomach and legs. The son of Ares then grabbed Nico by the throat again and began suffocating him. "You can't even control them. You are pathetic. You kill defenseless people. You should just kill yourself. Or allow me to."

Nico felt a wave of nausea and his skeletons all crumbled. His will to fight broke. He stopped struggling. Aaron let out a final squeeze, cutting off Nico's air supply and threw him against a tree. Before he hit the ground, he passed out.

* * *

Reyna's POV:

Reyna was thrown into prison next to Hazel. Hazel indicated her head in a greeting.

"You got caught too?"

"I was about to take out Percy, but it was a diversion. They ambushed me." Reyna explained. "How long have you been here?"

"About an hour. We got caught right at the start." Hazel said. "Usually these games are over very quickly."

"We are pretty evenly matched." Reyna mentioned. "We were, unfortunately, taken out. Jason was taken to prison by our team and I haven't seen Nico recently, so he's probably been captured too. Percy and Annabeth are still at large, but we still have Frank and Thalia out there fighting."

"But what about Piper?" Hazel asked. "You can't forget about her."

"That is true." Reyna considered. "She is a fierce warrior. At least Leo isn't playing today. He is very aggressive during this game and would probably burn the camp down."

"I think he was honestly ban from playing. After that forest fire at the beginning of the summer. Nymphs are still complaining about that." Hazel remembered.

"Thankfully Percy was there to douse the flames." The two girls fell silent before Hazel spoke up again.

"You have to admit that Nico's pretty good at this whole strategy thing. He's the reason Camp Half-Blood won last time."

"They might win again today." Reyna responded. "Unless Thalia can pull off the plan." At the praetor's words, the conch blew signaling the end of the game. Clarisse rolled her eyes and cut their bonds as they all raced to the border to figure out who won. They arrived to find Thalia waving a flag on top of a boulder. Pride surged through Reyna. Even though Camp Half-Blood outnumbered them, the Romans and Hunters had been victorious. Hazel let out a yell of victory and hugged Frank, who had helped Thalia get to the flag.

"We did it!" She screamed, kissing Frank. Reyna smiled as she walked over to Thalia. Thalia looked excited. She jumped off the rock to talk to Reyna.

"Well done, Hunter." Reyna said, bowing her head to Thalia. "You have my respect."

"Thank you." She said quickly as Jason came over to congratulate her. She hugged her brother and they both started discussing the effectiveness of the strategies. Chiron called for silence and the two siblings stopped their conversation.

"A very well-played game. Congratulations to the Hunters and Romans for their victory. There will be a feast in your honor tonight for your accomplishments." A cheer went up through the Hunters and Romans. "Yes, yes settle down. Now, is everyone accounted for? Medics, how many were injured?"

"Only two major injuries, but I think we have everyone accounted for." Kayla piped up as she and Will stood on the boulder to do their head count.

"Hang on, where's Nico?" Annabeth asked. Reyna looked around at the crowd. She didn't spot the son of Hades. She gained eye contact with Jason, whose eyes were filled with fear. He was missing in action. "Who was the last person to see him?"

"The last time I saw him was at the start of the game." Hazel interjected. "He ran off right after Lou Ellen had captured me."

"Has anyone else seen him?" Will asked calmly. His demeanor was cool and collected, but Reyna could sense that anxiety and fear was building up inside of him.

An Ares kid spoke up. "I saw him running in the forest. He ran right past me into a deeper part of the forest." Will beckoned the camper to the front. He was followed by his two brothers. Will jumped off the boulder.

"When was this?"

"About two hours ago." The son of Ares said. "Like I said, he ran right past me, but I didn't say anything. I didn't think about it, because a couple minutes later, my hand got sliced open when I was fighting someone." He showed off his knuckles as prove. They were bloody and bruised.

"Can you show me where?" The Ares kid nodded and started to run into the forest. Jason was about to follow, but Reyna put her hand on his arm. She brought him close.

"Look at his hands." Jason looked quickly and noticed they had blood on them.

"Yeah, they are bloody, it's a tough game. Why aren't we going to find Nico?"

Reyna shrugged, trying not to arouse suspicion. "It's a little strange that he is the only one who has seen Nico. And didn't Will tell us that Nico got beaten up by some Ares camper?"

The pieces fit together in Jason's mind. "Oh my gods, do you think that that is the kid? Do you think he beat up Nico? That's why he's missing?"

"We can't prove anything yet, but we can bring it up with Chiron." Reyna said. "But let's find Nico first."

* * *

Will's POV:

Will sprinted after the Ares kid. Fear was building up inside of him. What had happened? Was Nico okay? Was he really injured? Would Will be able to save him? He almost stumbled on some roots, but continued running after the kid. He looked behind him and found Annabeth and Hazel following closely. Reyna and Jason were further behind.

The Ares camper came to a stop. He pointed into a tangle of dark trees. "He ran that way."

"Thank you." Will said breathlessly as he ran past. "Nico?!" He screamed.

The group following him started fanning out to look for the son of Hades. Soon the first was a cacophony of noises, as everyone called out for the missing boy. Will scoured the area, looking for Nico. He needed to find him soon. It was frigid in this part of the woods, so Nico was at risk for hypothermia. He looked for black against the white snow, but the heavy tree coverage made it hard for the dying light to come through. Once the sun went down, there would be no way to see this deep in the forest. Something caught his eye. There was a spot of red on the ground. Blood.

"Guys!" He called. He heard footsteps as everyone surrounded him. He knelt down to look at the blood spot.

"Is that-?" Hazel asked. Will nodded.

"He has to be around here somewhere." He stood back up, wiping the snow off his hands. "Does anyone have any light source? It so dark back here."

Soon, phone flashlights lit up the area as they all looked together. Will walked behind a tree and saw a black lump. His heart raced as he recognized the figure.

"Nico!" He called, but the figure didn't stir. Not a good sign. He ran over to the boy and dropped down to his knees. He carefully turned Nico over. His usually pale face was covered in snow, bruises, and blood. Will's heart dropped.

"Oh my gods!" Jason breathed. The group that had gathered around Will had all gasped.

Will started panicking. Where has all this blood come from? What caused it? Everyone was silent as Will tried to figure out what to do. He suddenly forgot everything he had learned as a medic. The sight of his boyfriend drenched in blood erased all his training from his mind. He froze, without an inkling of how to help. He was helpless.

"Will. Will, what do we do?" Will barely heard Jason's question.

He felt someone tug him back and he was pulled away from Nico's body. "Don't just sit there! Fix him!" Hazel screamed. She pushed him away and pulled off his jacket. She began mopping up the blood as Will watched, dazed. He couldn't breathe. His boyfriend was bleeding out and he didn't know what to do.

A hand grabbed his shoulder. He panicked and flinched away. The hand steadily held him in place and suddenly a pair of grey eyes were looking into his. Annabeth. Seeing her calmed him down. She always knew what to do. She always had a plan.

"Will, snap out of it." She said calmly. Her voice brought him back to reality. "Your boyfriend is bleeding out. None of us are medics. Tell us what to do." Will was a healer. And one of the best at camp. He put his emotions to the side. He was just trying to help another camper. It wasn't his boyfriend bleeding out. It was just another camper. His training all came back. First step: locate the source of the immediate bleeding.

"Hazel, step aside." He lightly pushed her out of the way. "Moping up the blood is making it worse. We need to find the source of the bleeding." He started feeling around Nico's body. Everyone froze, watching him work. "Why are you all just standing there? I need a stretcher, lots of bandages, and a light source so I can see what I'm doing. Go!" His command sent his friends into motion.

He assessed the damage. A lot of the blood had come from Nico's mouth, which was sign of internal injuries. Nico needed to be in a sterile environment to deal with those. He was currently trying to locate the other sources of blood. He quickly pulled off and discarded Nico's shirt. It was cold, but Will needed to stop the bleeding before he worried about hypothermia. Nico's torso was a collection of bruises and cuts. He carefully examined the torso. He felt around his ribcage. Two of Nico's ribs were broken. What caused this? He thought back to a few weeks ago. Who had caused this? He pushed the thought from his mind to try and work on Nico. He had a small medical bag with him. He started ripping off bandages and wrapping them around Nico as Jason held the phone up for a light source. After he had bandaged his torso as best as he could, he wrapped a space blanket around Nico, to try to fend off the cold that was penetrating his body. All he could do was sit and wait for help to arrive.


	29. Chapter 29: The Longest Night

_Warnings: extreme violence. Please do not read if any of these themes upset you._

 _Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

Help had arrived. Frank and Hazel appeared carrying a stretcher. Kayla, Brandon, and Chiron followed closely behind. Percy appeared as well.

"We cannot move him until we assess his injuries and try to stop the bleeding." Will said to Kayla as she knelt down beside him.

"We need to get him off the snowy ground and out of the cold." Kayla asserted. "I'd rather him risk blood loss than hypothermia. And look at your hands, you are going to freeze too if we don't get inside soon."

Will agreed. Kayla and Brandon got on the other side of Nico. "On three. 1-2-3!" They picked him up and moved the stretcher underneath. This caused more blood to leak out. "He has lost a lot of blood and he had signs of internal bleeding." Will listed. "We won't know for sure what is happening until we move him. We need to move him. Carefully and quickly." Kayla nodded. Percy grabbed one end of the stretcher and Jason grabbed the other. Annabeth walked in front of them, to make sure they wouldn't trip on anything. Will walked right beside Nico, praying to his father that he would be alright. He looked down at Nico's face. The boy was having trouble breathing. The blood stood in stark contrast with the paleness of his skin. His lips were turning a light blue, indicating hypothermia. And to think, he had kissed those lips the night before. And now, Nico was like this. Fear gripped his heart, but he pushed it down. He needed to focus. He needed to help Nico.

Will, Kayla, Brandon, and Chiron entered the infirmary, not allowing anyone to follow. They took Nico into one of the back rooms, so they would have privacy. Brandon and Will lifted Nico from the stretcher and onto the bed. Kayla stripped Nico down to his underwear and started sponging the blood off his beaten body. What could have done this? Will grabbed his stethoscope and put it to Nico's chest. His heartbeat was slow and irregular. His breathing was erratic

"Chiron, something is wrong with Nico's heartbeat." His mentor leaned down to listen while Will set up the heart monitor. Brandon was preparing an IV.

"Get me an echo and an ultrasound of his heart and lungs." Chiron commanded as Will put the stickers on Nico's chest. The machine started beeping with Nico's heartbeat. "We need to see what's going."

Will lunged into action. After realizing that many of the injuries demigods got couldn't be treated by just magic, Chiron had convinced Mr. D to invest in some mortal medical equipment which Will had greatly appreciated. He grabbed the equipment and brought it over. Will put the gel on Nico's chest and then brought the wand over Nico's lungs and heart.

"There is something penetrating the lung-" Will stopped as his heart dropped. "Is that Nico's rib?"

"Oh my gods-" Chiron gasped.

"What do we do?" Will asked, trying to keep calm. "In the mortal world, in the mortal hospital, this would require intensive surgery. I'm-I'm not trained for that. I can't cut him open." Will's voice grew higher with hysteria.

"We are just going to have to rely on your and my healing powers to save him. We can fix this. You have fixed him before when he was injured." Chiron didn't sound.

"This seems unfixable in the conditions we are in Chiron." Will said. "There is only so much magic can do. We need to bring him to a mortal hospital."

"He doesn't have time to go-" Chiron was cut off as the heart monitor started beeping like crazy. Nico began coughing. Will rushed over to his side. Coughs racked the thin boy's body and blood poured out his mouth. Will froze, unsure of what to do. He had never seen Nico in this bad before. He had never dealt with an injury this bad without the correct equipment. At the hospital he volunteered at, he had seen these injuries, but the doctors were always qualified to fix them. He wasn't qualified. He was a teenager. He couldn't save Nico.

"Chiron-"

"I know!" The centaur said harshly.

"He's crashing!" Will screamed. "What do we do?!"

"I can't do anything with you screaming at me, Mr. Solace. You are out of line."

"Will, LOOK AT ME!" Kayla screamed, putting her hands on Will's face. Will was shaking with hysteria and Kayla tried to calm him. "You have fixed Nico when he's been in bad shape. Remember in the middle of our cabin? You fixed him with almost no supplies. You got the blessing of Apollo. You can do that again. You need to tap into that power again."

"I don't think- I don't think I can."

"You have to try!" She pushed Will closer to Nico. His heartbeat was getting slower, his breath weakening. He was going to die. Will tried to steady his hands. His hands lit up as he began moving them across Nico's body. Healing flowed through Will and slowly Nico's outside wounds started to knit back together. Nico coughed again, splattering blood onto Will's arm and the spell was broken. Will lost focus as he looked back to Nico. The wounds reopened. His heartbeat was erratic again. He started suffocating. He was going to die.

"No!" Will pleaded. "Nico, please don't die. Please!"

"Kayla, get him out of here. He is too emotional. And he will be a distraction to me." Chiron ordered. Kayla grabbed Will's arm. Will wretched his arm back.

"No! I won't leave him! He's about to die. I need-I need to fix him!" Will screamed. His hands lit up again but he was too shaken up and too hysteric to help. Kayla pulled him back. "NO!" Will fought back and pulled free from her arms. Brandon ran over. His two siblings were too much for him. He was pulled out of the room, kicking and screaming. "NO! NICO! I love you!" He was pulled out of the room and pushed through the infirmary doors. They slammed in his face and Kayla locked it behind her as she and Brandon ran back to Chiron. Will pounded against the doors, tears streaming down his face. He slid down the door in agony. He felt a hand touch his back. He whipped around, pushing the hand away.

He looked up through his tears and saw that it was Jason. "Is he-?" The son of Jupiter asked, scared to know the answer.

"No. Not yet, but he's in critical condition. There-there was nothing I could do." Will's voice rose in hysteria. "It's all my fault! He's going to die and I'm out here and I'm a wreck."

"He isn't going to die." Reyna asserted. Will looked up to find the Seven and Reyna standing in the hallway. They had all been waiting for news of Nico. And Will had delivered it with tears. "I do not allow that. He is NOT going to die."

"But- but-" Will spluttered.

"He isn't going to die! He is going to pull through and survive this, just like he has every other time. Understand?" Reyna asked.

Will was still breathing heavily. Anxiety overtook him. What if Nico didn't survive though? He looked down at his hands and saw they were covered in Nico's blood. He felt a wave of nausea and bile rise to his throat. He pushed passed everyone in the hallway and made it to the porch. He vomited over the railing. All the stress and fear he had felt the last half an hour or so came up and over the edge. He wiped his mouth with his hand and sat on the porch steps. What was happening?

Will walked into the room where Nico was being treated. He had calmed down considerably and wanted to see how Nico was doing. His boyfriend lay under the covers, his black hair fanned out on the pillow beneath him. He looked peaceful. Will smiled as he walked over to him. He grabbed his arm. It was cold. Will's heart dropped. Nico shouldn't have been that cold. Maybe he was still fighting off the hypothermia. Will took a deep breath in. He slid his fingers onto Nico's wrist, feeling for his heartbeat. It was absent. A cold feeling settles in Will's stomach. It couldn't be. He grabbed his stethoscope to listen to Nico's heart. It wasn't beating.

"No." He whispered. He put his hand under Nico's nose. He wasn't breathing. "This can't be happening."

"I'm sorry." Will whirled around and Chiron, in his chair, had a depressed expression on his face. "There was nothing I could do."

"No."

"Nico is dead!"

"No!" Will moaned. This wasn't happening. This was some sick, twisted dream. He shook his head. "NO!"

Chiron started fading out of sight. Will fumbled, unsure of what was happening. He was falling. He tried to grab a hold onto something, but he hit the ground.

"Will!" Will opened his eyes, when he heard Jason call his name. He was still on the porch steps. Jason was shaking him. "Are you alright man?"

"What-what's going on?" Will asked, unsure of what was happening. "Nico-"

"You are freezing! You need to come inside before you catch your death!" Jason directed, trying to pull Will up. Will shook him off.

"Nico-what happened?"

"You barged out of the infirmary about three hours ago. I followed you and found you sitting on the steps. I tried to talk to you, but you ignored me. It was like you couldn't even hear me. Piper told me to leave you alone for a while. I came back out to check on you and you were having some sort of nightmare so I woke you up." Jason explained. Will felt his heart beat slow. It had been a nightmare. Thank the gods. Nico wasn't dead.

"Has anything changed?"

"There's no news," Jason said sadly. "But, there is no point in sitting out here in the cold. You yourself are going to catch hypothermia sitting out here. Let's go back inside."

"Okay." Will whispered, allowing Jason to wrap his arms around him and lead him into the Big House. He found the Seven and Reyna right where he had left them. Hazel held out a blanket for him. Will gratefully accepted it, finally realizing how frigid it had been outside. He slid down the wall to wait for someone to come out of the infirmary with news. Any shred of hope. He now realized how terrible the waiting had been for everyone when he had barred them from the infirmary. He hated this. He hated feeling helpless. It was out of his hands.

It was four in the morning. Piper and Leo had nodded off on Jason's shoulders. Percy was sprawled across the floor, asleep. Annabeth and Reyna were still awake, eyes heavy with exhaustion. Frank had been asleep for hours. Although Hazel's eyes were closed, Will knew she was awake. She was feeling for her brothers life force in the Underworld, but had yet to locate it yet. Will was wide awake. He refused to let himself sleep after having that nightmare. If he felt himself drooping off, he would walk outside, into the cold to wake himself up. He wanted to be awake if any news came up about Nico. He felt responsible for Nico's health and he had let the son of Hades down. And after he had defended his skills to Hades himself.

His inner berating was interrupted by the door opening. He stood up quickly. Chiron, wheeled himself past without saying anything, exhaustion lining his face. Will wanted to go after him, but he was already out of sight. The noise of the doors opening woke Jason and Piper. Kayla came through the doors.

"Kayla-" Will breathed. Kayla wouldn't lie to him. She would tell him what had happened.

"We don't know, Will." She sighed. She had bags under her eyes and looked dead on her feet. "He's in a stable condition, but we don't know what's going to happen. If he is even going to make it through the night."

The knot in Will's chest lessened a little. "But he's alive?"

"Barely. Had we not found him when we did... let's just say, we would be having a very different conversation." Kayla replied. "He will need around the clock monitoring until he goes into a more stable condition. Brandon is with him right now."

"Can we see him?" Hazel dared to ask, knowing what the answer would be.

"No. It's just too risky. And Will." She looked sadly at her brother, before looking at all of the demigods. "All of you. You do not want to see him like this. It will just break your hearts."

"Do you think he'll make it?" Jason asked.

"He's survived worse." Kayla stated. "If he does survive, he is going to have a lengthy recovery ahead of him. He will have to stay at Camp, with no strenuous activities, for at least a month.

Kayla's words set off a memory in Will's mind. On the beach, a few nights ago.

Will closed his eyes and prayed to the heavens above. Please don't let him leave me. I can't lose him. Not like this.

A boulder dropped in Will's stomach. This had been his fault. He had prayed that Nico would stay. And now he was. It was really bad timing, or someone had answered his plea. Considering who all the demigod's parents were, he assumed the latter. He needed to find out who. He felt his breath quicken before he realized someone was calling his name.

"-Will?" Kayla's voice came through. Will shook his head and locked his eyes onto hers.

"What?" He snapped.

"You zoned out. As I was saying, I think you need a break. Leave the infirmary. Go to the cabin. Staying here and stressing isn't going to do you any good." Kayla advised.

"I'm fine, thanks." Will's words had venom in them which everyone seemed to pick up on. He looked around before looking at the floor. "I'm just worried, okay. I just want him to be okay."

"We understand, that's what we all want. But don't push us away or be rude. We are all worried." Kayla put her hand on Will's shoulder. "Go back to the cabin. I promise that I will let you know if anything changes."

"I'm taking a walk." Will said. He noticed Jason and Piper look at each other. They probably didn't want him to freeze himself again. At this point, Will could care less about his own wellbeing. He just needed to correct his mistake.

"Will, I don't think that's-" Piper started.

Will's eyes flashed as he glared up at Piper. She took a step back. "I'm taking a walk." He repeated. "Alone."

The air was still nippy when he walked into it. He wondered why Mr. D had lifted the weather borders that they usually had in place. Probably forgot to put them back up. His failure to fulfill his responsibility may have damaged Nico beyond repair. The bleeding had been terrible, but hypothermia on top of that... He pushed the thought from his mind. He focused all his attentions on the task at hand. He needed to find whichever god had answered his prayer. He found the spot on the beach where Nico and he had had their discussion a few days prior. He looked up at the sky.

"Alright, so who was it? Who decided to take my prayer and use it to hurt my boyfriend? Zeus, was it you? Ares? Dad?-"

"Will-" he whirled around to find Piper looking at him strangely.

"I said I wanted to be alone."

"That's not happening." She said. "Not when you are in this kind of state. Now talk to me. Why are you screaming at the heavens? What happened?"

Will took in a deep breath as he let Piper's charm speak wash over him. He could fight it, but it felt so much easier just to tell her everything. He launched into an explanation of their failed date in the Underworld and how Nico was planning to leave camp. "-and I prayed to the gods that Nico wouldn't leave me. And that he would stay here. I think someone upstairs took that sentiment a little too literally."

"You really think a god caused this to happen to Nico?" Piper asked, incredulous. "They would have no reason to. It's pointless and senseless-"

"It's called tragedy, sweetheart." Will and Piper both turned at the smooth voice. Aphrodite had appeared. She was sitting at a tea table that she had conjured up. "It makes the bond of love ever so much stronger."

"Mom?" Piper said as Will spoke too.

"Aphrodite?"

"Will, and my beautiful Piper, do sit down. We have much to discuss." Neither demigod moved. "Will you look dead on your feet and I know you haven't eaten all day. Sit." She snapped her fingers and the chairs zoomed under Piper's and Will's legs. They were soon seated around the table, a table of ham sandwiches in front of them. Will stood quickly.

"Hang on a minute, it was you? You caused Nico's injuries? You are the reason he's in the infirmary?" He said angrily.

"Why of course not! I don't believe in violence. At least, I don't believe in committing violence myself. But when Ares fights a monster, or love starts a war, oh it gets me all worked up." Aphrodite said, sipping from her cup.

"What do you mean committing violence yourself? Did you order someone to hurt Nico?" Piper asked.

"I merely did what Will asked for. He wanted Nico to stay. He's staying, is he not?" She said, innocently.

Will's eyes widened as rage filled his body. "Are you kidding me? This is how you thought you would fix my problem? By almost killing Nico."

"Well, the beating did seem to go too far. But, you should have been more specific with your request, William." Aphrodite was reapplying her lipstick as she gazed into her compact mirror.

"Beating? Who did you order to beat him up?" Will asked, collecting himself. Yelling at a goddess wasn't going to solve anything.

"I didn't specifically order anyone to-"

"Mom, Nico is our friend and he is dying. Can you please give us a name? Or do you think you could heal him?" Piper pleaded.

"Now, Piper, you know perfectly well that I am not supposed to interfere with your demigod life-"

"What do you call what you did to Nico?" Will spat. "Oh I forgot, our love is just like a reality show to you, but you are the director. You get to manipulate our lives the way you want them. You interfered for your own pleasure."

"Will-" Piper warned.

"It's my job, sweetheart. And I already said I might have gone a little overboard." Aphrodite shrugged. "I do apologize for that. But, there isn't much I can do at this point. I am not as skilled as your father in the terms of healing. I might just end up making him worse."

"Then can you tell us who you told to hurt him?" Will asked.

"I didn't say anything directly." She defended. "Just stirred up some dark thoughts in Dr- one of the Campers." She realized her mistake. "Well that's all the information I have. I do wish you and Nico the best. I hope he recovers swiftly. Toodle-loo." She waved and disappeared, bringing the table and chairs with her.

"She almost said Drew, I'm sure of it. But, Drew couldn't have beaten him up. She's not that strong. Nico could have overpowered her easily." Piper interjected.

"Maybe she convinced one of her friends to hurt Nico. Or boyfriends." Will struggled for the answer.

"She is dating an Ares camper." Piper supplied. The pieces fell in place in Will's head.

"Piper, Nico got beaten up by an Ares kid in December. What if it's the same kid?" Piper's eyes grew wide.

"Oh my gods. We have to report this to Chiron. And to Clarisse. She is not going to be happy about this." Piper directed. "We need to go back. Now." They took off running in the direction of the Big House. Rage was building up inside Will. Whoever had hurt his boyfriend was going to pay very dearly for their actions. They slowly climbed the steps when Will noticed someone standing in the shadows.

"Hello?" The figure stepped forward. It was the Camper who had pointed them in the direction of Nico.

"Hi. I couldn't sleep at all. It's my hand." He held up his hand which was bloody and bruised. The guy looked to the ground. "Do you think there is anything you could do?"

Will looked at Piper. "We were actually right in the middle of-"

Piper quickly pulled him aside. "I'll get Chiron and assemble the head counselors. You can fix his hand. We don't need to arouse suspicion."

"- Actually, our matter just got resolved." Will said, cordially. "How about we go into the infirmary, and fix up that hand of yours?"

"Great." The kid said. He followed Will into the infirmary. Everyone was still asleep, keeping guard out front. They picked their way around the sprawled limbs and made it inside the now unlocked infirmary. Kayla must have gone back to the cabin to sleep. He told the kid to sit on one of the beds. He looked around, carefully, to make sure Kayla wasn't hiding in any of the corners. He walked to Nico's door and tried to open it. No luck. Brandon had most likely barricaded himself on the inside and he knew that Kayla had the keys. He guessed he wouldn't be seeing Nico that night. He sighed as he went to the supply closet to grab some bandages and ambrosia. He walked back over to the camper. Piper had returned.

"How is the guy that I found?" The camper asked, worry lining his voice.

Will gained eye contact with Piper as she slightly shook her head. He thought about her words. They couldn't arouse any suspicion. They didn't want word getting out that they were investigating a camper. "He's in stable condition. We wouldn't have found him in time if you hadn't shown him where he was."

"Is he going to be okay?" The camper asked, sympathy surrounding his words.

"He isn't in the clear yet, but he would have frozen and had no chance had we not found him. So thank you."

"No need to thank me. I'm no hero." The camper fidgeted awkwardly.

"You saved Nico's life. That's pretty heroic to me." Piper said.

"What's your name?" Will asked.

"Aaron. Aaron Stevenson."

"Nice to meet you, Aaron. I'm Will." He secured the bandage around Aaron's hand. "And you are all set to go. Make sure to eat that ambrosia. And keep it easy on your hand then next couple of days. You don't want the skin to spilt again."

"Yes, of course, thank you. I will." Aaron said quickly as he left the infirmary.

Will pulled off his gloves and grabbed the towel he had used to clean off the dried blood on Aaron's hands. He threw it in the trash.

"That was a nice distraction while it lasted." Will said miserably.

"Will, it's not your fault." Piper admonished lightly. "You couldn't have known my mother was going to do that. If you had, you would have never said anything in the first place."

"But I did, Piper, and my words caused Nico to end up where he is." He paused for a few moments. "What did Chiron say?"

"He told me that he wasn't dealing with any camp business until he had gotten some sleep. He looked ready to collapse so I let him be." Piper said. "We will just have to wait until a couple hours pass. Let's wake up the others so they can sleep in the infirmary in actual beds."


	30. Chapter 30: Investigation

_Warnings: mentions of self-harm, violence, language. Please do not read if any of these themes upset you._

 _Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

The infirmary door opened at exactly 10 am. Kayla was reporting for her shift. She looked rough, with her hair in a messy bun and bags under her eyes. She walked right past Will without seeing him.

"You look terrible." He muttered. She turned slowly.

"You should look in a mirror yourself, Will. Did you sleep at all last night?"

Will didn't answer which proved to be an answer itself. He, Reyna, and Jason had stayed up most of the night talking. Jason and Reyna had finally crashed about an hour beforehand, but Will was still awake.

"You need to sleep, Will." Kayla lectured. "Or at least eat something." He could have gone to breakfast with Leo, Percy, Annabeth, Frank, and Piper, but he had stayed behind with Hazel, hoping to convince Kayla to let them see Nico.

"I can't-" Will's voice broke with emotion. "I can't function, not knowing what's going to happen to him." He looked up with big sad eyes at Kayla. "You have to let me see him. Please."

Kayla looked deeply into his eyes, as if analyzing his emotions. If only she could see his true inner turmoil. She sighed. "Alright. I suppose you and Hazel could come in. Just for a few minutes though."

"Thank you." Will almost cried in relief. Kayla lead him and Hazel through the hallway and to the door. She pulled a key from her pocket and unlocked the door. Brandon, who was sitting in a chair, nodding off, was startled awake.

"Kayla! I wasn't- Nico has been stable all night, with no change-" he saw Will and Hazel. "What are they doing in here?"

"I said that they could see him for a few minutes." Kayla responded. "Be gentle with him."

Will walked around Kayla and into the room. His focus immediately went to his boyfriend. Tons of wires and tubes were connected to his body. Will sat in a chair right beside the bed and grabbed Nico's hand. Nico's exposed chest was heavily bruised. His nose had been put back into place, but there was a bruise in the shape of a fist on his cheek. He looked like he was in bad shape. But the heart monitor indicated that he had a steady heartbeat. He was breathing steadily with the help of a ventilator.

"Who could have done this to Nico?" Hazel asked. "What would possess anyone to hurt Nico this badly?"

"I have no idea. Piper is talked to Chiron. We are opening an investigation to figure out who did this. Whoever did this had almost killed Nico. And they are going to pay for what they did." Will vowed. He looked to Kayla. "How long until he wakes up?"

"Chiron said that Nico was in a strange sort of coma. Medically speaking, he could wake up any time. But something is going on in his head that doesn't want to allow him to wake up. We can't figure it out." Kayla explained. "But he isn't out of the woods yet. His injuries are severe and delicate enough that if one thing goes wrong, we could lose him."

Will crumbled his hands into a fist, longing to rip into his skin. This was his fault. "Why couldn't I help him, Kayla? What happened? I've healed injuries like that before?"

"You were scared and you froze. It happens to the best of us." Kayla reasoned. Will got up, walking towards the cabinet.

"I was talking to Percy yesterday. He said that Rachel said that dad has been absent with her or anyone for that matter. Could dad being missing be the reason I lost my power?" Will asked. "Am I powerless without dad guiding me? Do I not have any skill on my own?"

"You've fixed people with your powers even when dad has been missing. He was still missing over the summer time when you fixed Nico." Kayla said, referring to Nico's first huge injury, when Will had knocked himself out for days.

"Why couldn't Chiron heal Nico all the way? Nico is still in pretty terrible shape. When I've healed him before, he was perfectly healthy afterwards."

"The skills you showed healing Nico in the past are phenomenal. Chiron doesn't possess the level of healing magic that you do. He's said so himself."

"So you're saying, if I hadn't freaked out, I could have totally fixed Nico?" Will asked.

"Most likely, but don't let that get in your head." Kayla chided. "It happens to the best of us."

"It doesn't happen to me. I'm head Healer. It is literally my job to remain calm. And I couldn't do it. I couldn't heal him. And it's my fault that he got like this in the first place."

"What are you talking about, Will?" Kayla asked. He spun around quickly at her words.

"I convinced him to stay another night! He was going to leave camp, but I convinced him to stay for Capture the Flag!" Will shouted, jamming his finger into his chest. "Also, I prayed that he would be forced to stay here. And Aphrodite answered my plea and made sure he ended up like this! This is my fault! And then, when it mattered most, I was too weak to save him. I wasn't powerful enough to help him. This is all on ME!" Tears were running down his face. He turned and punched a hole into the cabinet. "Shit!" He yelped in pain, grabbing his hand. He stumbled back and felt himself hit the wall. He slid down it, sobs ripping from his throat. He had broken down.

Kayla, Brandon, and Hazel were silent, scared to move or say anything, for fear of worsening Will's anger. Kayla slowly approached Will. Through his tears, he watched as she knelt down before him. She carefully put her hand on his shoulder. He tried to flinch back, but she held him in place.

"Will, have you hurt yourself?" She whispered. She wasn't referring to his hand. A couple of nights prior, after Nico had broken things off, Kayla had found Will on the bathroom with a razor blade in his hands. She cleaned him up, but Will had refused to tell her what had happened.

"Not since that night-" his voice cracked.

"What's been going on? Because, as far as I was concerned, I thought you and Nico were fine. You were on New Year's." Kayla said.

"He brought me to the Underworld for a mission and his father summoned us to the palace. At the Solstice, Hades had sent one of his minions after me. He wanted to know about Nico getting beat up the first time. Fast forward to a couple of days ago. Hades told Nico he wanted to help and Nico freaked out on me, calling me overprotective. He said- he told-" Will stuttered as the pain came back in his heart. "He said he needed some time to himself-that he was going to take his father up on his offer to serve him in the Underworld as his lieutenant. He- he said he needed a break from me. So I let him go. I prayed that he wouldn't leave. I convinced him to stay for New Year's Eve, for one last good memory, before he left. If I hadn't had forced him to say, he wouldn't have gotten beaten up- oh my gods, this is all my fault-"

"No." Kayla interrupted Will's sobs. "This is not your fault. The only one to blame here is the kid who beat up Nico. And we are going to get to the bottom of this. We are going to find out who hurt him."

"Will?" A voice sounded in the hallway. Will hastily wiped his tears away. He stood and found himself facing Piper. "Hey- whoa, what happened to your hand?"

"Nothing." His voice was tight. He cleared his throat, slowly standing up. "What's going on?"

"I told Chiron about our suspicions. He arranged for a head counselor meeting in the Rec room." Piper's voice was steady but her eyes were moving around. She looked at Nico, and they grew very wide.

"When?" Will inquired, forcing Piper's attention to focus back on him.

"Now. If you are ready."

"Of course." Will affirmed. "Kayla, will you-?"

"I'll keep an eye on him." She said.

"No," Will corrected. "Will you come with me? I don't-I don't want to go alone."

Kayla looked flattered. "Yes, I'll go find someone to cover my shift and keep an eye on Nico." Brandon opened his mouth to protest that he could before Kayla cut him off. "No, Brandon, you have been awake all night. You need to sleep."

"Thank you, Kayla." Will muttered. He indicated his head to Hazel, inviting her to come. Someone needed to represent the Hades cabin. They followed Piper out of the room. Piper moved to wake Jason, but Will grabbed her arm. "They've only been asleep for an hour. Let them sleep. We can catch them up when they wake up."

"And when's the last time you slept, Will?" Piper asked, concerned.

"We should go to the meeting." Will averted the question as he led the way to the rec room.

* * *

Percy's POV:

Percy sat next to Annabeth around the ping pong table. Chiron had assembled everyone that morning. He hadn't given any specific reason, but Percy assumed that it was about Nico. The room was full. Connor and Travis Stoll were drawing on an old paper, Miranda and Clovis were talking quietly. Clarisse sat next to Thalia. Pollux and Butch looked around at the table. Leo was joking lightly with Frank. Will, Kayla, Hazel, and Piper were the last people to walk into the rec room. They say down at the table.

"Is everyone accounted for?" Chiron asked.

"Jason and Reyna are still asleep, but everyone else is here." Piper informed.

"I will represent the Zeus cabin and the Hunters of Artemis." Thalia said.

"And I'll represent the Hades/Pluto cabin." Hazel advocated.

"Why are we all even here?" Clarisse asked gruffly. "I should be leading a monster-fighting class right now."

"As many of you know, last night, one of our demigods suffered a major injury during the game last night." Chiron explained.

"Nico?" Clarisse asked. "What's wrong with him this time? Summon too many skeletons?"

"He was attacked. By a fellow camper." Chiron said. The words caused silence to fall over the counselors. "We are opening an investigation to determine the attacker. Mr. Solace and Ms. Knowles will be giving us the information they have so far. Ms. Knowles?"

She stood up. She looked towards Will, who was blankly staring into the distance. She looked stressed for her brother. She cleared her throat. "Nico has life-threatening injuries that we were not yet completely able to heal. He is currently in a coma, and we have no idea when he will wake up. He physically doesn't have any head trauma to prevent him from waking up, so we believe we are dealing with something mentally preventing him. Further examination of the injuries revealed that Nico had been brutally beaten. Nothing about who the perpetrator is was revealed on Nico's body, but the force and location of the injuries shows that it was mostly likely a strong male with immense strength. Will may have information about who did it."

The table looked towards Will. He was trapped in thought, clenching his hands into fists. He looked truly awful, bags under his eyes, usually tan skin, pale and gaunt. The sparkle he usually had in his eyes was absent. Percy could see the underlying anxiety and fear the son of Apollo had inside of him. "Mr. Solace?" Chiron asked, but to no avail.

"Will!" Kayla whisper-shouted. Will looked up at his name being mentioned. He noticed everyone staring at him.

"Sorry, what's going on?"

"We asked for you to give us information about who beat up Nico."

"Right." Will cleared his throat. "A couple days before the Solstice, I returned to camp and discovered that Nico had sustained major injuries. He revealed to me that he was beat up. By an Ares camper." A collective gasp went around the table.

"Gods." Clarisse whispered. "Do you know who?"

"No." Will responded. "He didn't tell me, and I don't think he knew who it was anyway. The only lead I have is the fact that the camper may be part of the Ares cabin. And Nico told me that Ares camper beat him up because he was gay."

"I can't believe this!" Clarisse slammed her hand on the table. "My cabin is violent sometimes, but we do not accept intolerance. I want to lead this investigation. I want to make sure that whoever dared to beat up di Angelo is brought to justice."

"That would be a conflict of interest." Chiron explained. "It would be too personal for you because he is a member of your cabin."

"It's a conflict of interest for all of us." Percy said. "We all care about and want to protect Nico. We all want justice for him."

"How are we going to find this guy?" Piper asked.

"It has been decided that Annabeth will lead the investigation. She will be the most objective." Chiron nodded in Annabeth's direction. She stood.

"We need to keep this under wraps because we do not want the perpetrator to know we are looking for him. If you have information regarding this situation, please let either myself or Chiron know." She instructed.

"We have information." Everyone turned towards the voice that sounded in the doorway. Reyna, regal and dangerous, stood in the door. "Jason and I think we know who did it."

"Well, please do tell." Annabeth said, inviting Reyna to the table.

Reyna entered the rec room and stood at one of the heads of the table, Jason right behind her. "When we were looking for Nico in the woods yesterday, an Ares camper pointed us in the direction of where Nico was. I began to think 'why on earth would this camper know this?' Later, I noticed that his hand had been cut open and bruised, consistent with injuries formed when punching something or someone incorrectly. And I remembered that Nico had previously been hurt by an Ares cabin member. I believe this camper is the one who beat up Nico."

Clarisse was about to speak when Will stood, slamming his hands on the table, almost overturning it. "Are you kidding me? I helped that camper! I patched up his hand. And he beat up Nico! He almost killed him!" Rage ignited in Will's eyes. Percy was beginning to realize that there was a violent tornado under Will's usually sunny demeanor. "He is going to pay." Percy felt a shiver go up his spine by the conviction in Will's words. He sounded ready to kill this camper. And, if given the chance, it appeared that he would.

"Who was it?" Percy asked.

"Aaron Stevenson." The name caused chaos to break loose.

"Aaron? No way!" Connor said.

"I can't believe this. We are really good friends." Travis mentioned.

"He's one of my closest siblings." Clarisse just looked betrayed. "This is unbelievable."

Annabeth held up her hand for silence. Just as with Reyna and Chiron, she always got silence when she asked for it. "From what I'm hearing, this isn't typically in Aaron's nature." Everyone started talking at once, forcing Annabeth to hold up her hands again. "One at a time, please. Clarisse. You first."

"I would trust Aaron with my life. I can't believe that he would do something like this." She said.

"Connor and Travis? What do you have to say?" Annabeth directed at the siblings.

"We've been friends with Aaron since he first got here about a year ago. He's never struck me as the type to do something like this." Connor explained.

"Well until recently..." Travis added.

"What happened recently?" Annabeth's eyes narrowed as she asked the question.

"Oh, Aaron!" Piper exclaimed, understanding spreading across her face. "I thought I knew that name. I can answer this question. A month or two ago, she started dating Drew. And that makes sense because-" her eyes darted to Will, who shook his head, almost imperceptibly. She turned red. "Anyway, yeah, Aaron and Drew are dating."

Annabeth looked like she tasted something particularly sour. No one really liked Drew, as she had a streak of being a bitch.

"We all know how Drew is." Butch spoke up. "And once Aaron started dating her, he got a mean streak going on. He started bashing his friends and was typically in a crappy mood. He did everything for that girl. He thought she was the world."

"Yeah, he started skipping classes and neglecting chores about a month ago. But what does Drew have anything to do with Aaron beating Nico up?" Clarisse looked towards Annabeth. Percy could see the gears in Annabeth's mind turning, trying to figure out the connection.

"Me." Will said so quietly, it almost went unnoticed. He looked up as he spoke. "Once upon a time, Drew had a crush on me. I vehemently refused her advances but she kept trying to come onto me. She finally got the message that I wasn't into her and that I was gay when I started dating Nico. Nico has had problems with Drew before. She told him that he should kill himself and that he was worthless."

"How long as this been going on?" Chiron asked, apparently shocked at the amount of hate and bullying going around at camp. Percy was too. This was supposed to be a place of acceptance. But, those who were different continued to be ostracized. It hurt his heart.

"Since the summer." Will said.

"And you didn't think to report it?" Chiron asked. "Not even when Nico was attacked by this camper the first time?"

"Nico made it very clear that it wasn't my battle to fight. He asked me not to say anything." Silence fell around the table.

"Not saying anything could have cost Mr. di Angelo his life, Mr. Solace." Chiron admonished.

"You don't think that I'm perfectly aware of that?" Will snapped. No one truly knew what had been going on in Nico di Angelo's life. This information all shocked Percy. He wished he would have been able to be there for the son of Hades. It killed him to know that Nico was struggling so much. He knew that Nico self-harmed, but he thought it had stopped after the summer time. Maybe Nico was struggling more than he thought.

"So Drew probably talked about how much she hated Nico to Aaron and Aaron decided to 'teach Nico a lesson'," Leo used quotations. "But, why so harsh? Aaron almost killed Nico. That seems a little extreme."

Will sighed deeply, and all eyes turned to him again. "Aphrodite decided that she wanted to give my love life a little drama. I believe that she either put the idea in Drew's or Aaron's head about beating Nico up."

Percy rolled his eyes. He knew all about Aphrodite interfering in his love life with Annabeth. He looked up at her and she looked down at him, both thinking about all the shit the love goddess had put their relationship through. He lightly squeezed Annabeth's hand before turning his attention back to the discussion at hand.

"Whoa whoa whoa, when did this all happen?" Thalia had a confused expression on her face. "When did you talk to Aphrodite?"

"At the Solstice." Will mentioned. "Nico and I had gotten into a fight and Aphrodite had talked to Nico. He didn't tell me exactly what they had discussed. Just that she seemed very interested in his love life." The son of Apollo was holding back. There was something he wasn't saying. And Piper seemed to be concealing something too. Percy hadn't failed to notice the way she had looked at Will and then cut herself off.

"But why does Aphrodite have a problem with Nico?" Miranda asked. "Why did she want to create drama?"

Percy noticed Jason and Reyna gain eye contact with each other, before looking back at the table. Percy raised his eyebrows. What was the deal with everyone today? Why was there so much secrecy around Nico? They knew something that they weren't sharing. But what? Percy wracked his brain for any circumstance where Jason, Reyna, and Nico had acted weird around each other. Percy remembered their most recent quest and when they had recounted their journey, Jason and Nico always got weird when talking about Croatia. Maybe something had happened there. He would be sure to mention something to Jason afterwards.

"Drama is kinda my mom's thing. I don't know why she does half of what she does." Piper explained.

"Regardless, just because Aaron's hand was bloodied up and the fact that he's dating Drew doesn't provide conclusive proof that he did it." Annabeth said. "We need a witness or actual evidence."

"There was no one around Nico." Jason pointed out. "And if there had been, they would have said something."

"The only witness we would have is Nico." Kayla informed. "And he is currently indisposed. We have no idea when he will wake up."

"We can't just let Aaron continue on without getting consequences!" Will complained. "He could hurt someone else."

"But we can't accuse him of doing anything without concrete evidence either." Annabeth looked at Will sadly. "Innocent until proven guilty."

"What more evidence do you need?" Will spat. "You have motive. You have witnesses indicating a change in Aaron's behavior. You have a physical injury on Aaron. Aaron's body and build fits the description of who is believed to have beaten up Nico. Drew hates Nico. What, do you need a written confession?! Do you not want Nico to get justice?"

"I never said that. And of course I want him to get justice," Annabeth defended. "My job, however, is to remain objective. We cannot 100% prove that Aaron did it so the investigation will continue. And he might have done it the first time, but maybe not the second time. We just want to make sure we catch the right guy."

Will pushed his chair back and stormed out of the rec room, slamming the door behind him. Kayla visibly winced as the door slammed behind him. "I'm sorry for my brother. He is a little stressed out about Nico."

"Should someone go after him?" Frank asked. "He looked ready to kill that kid."

"Will isn't a typically violent person. He won't do anything rash. He just needs time to cool off." Kayla explained.

"We will just wait this out then." Annabeth concluded. "We won't be able to prove anything until Nico wakes up, but I will see if I can do recon and discover anything else. Please do not discuss the contents of this meeting outside of this room. Thank you all for coming."


	31. Chapter 31: Revenge

_Warnings: violence, angst, mentions of homophobia, language. Please do not read if any of these themes upset you._

 _Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

It had been two days since the meeting. Will's mental state and physical health were deteriorating rapidly. He hadn't eaten or slept in three days. Anything Kayla tried to get him to eat, he ended up vomiting back up, his anxiety about Nico eating away at him. His hand was still throbbing since when he had punched the cabinet. He welcomed the pain, not allowing anyone to heal him. There had been no change in Nico's condition. He was still in a coma, injuries still far from healed. There had also been no change on the investigation. Annabeth assured him that she had been looking, but so far nothing concrete had shown up. Will just wanted Aaron to pay the consequences for his actions. Will was blankly staring at the common area. Kayla had restricted him from seeing Nico outside of the approved visiting hours. Bullshit. She was sitting next to Will, talking to him, but Will was tuning her out. Jason was sitting on his other side. Jason had been hanging around Will a lot the past couple of days, like a bodyguard. He wondered if Kayla and Cecil had asked him to do it. Cecil would usually spend a lot of time with him, as he was his best friend, but Will had been forbidden from telling Cecil what was going on. Will had one of Nico's Mythomagic figurines in his hands. Nico, over the break, had shown him how to play and had accidentally left the figure at Will's cabin. Will had had yet to return it. And thinking about how Nico's condition hadn't change, he didn't know if he was ever going to get the chance to return it.

Footsteps withdrew Will from his thoughts. He looked up to find his sister, Alexa, looking at Kayla with fearful eyes. She sounded winded as if she had been running. "Kayl-Kayla. Chiro- Chiron sent me. Nico... bad shape-" she gasped out.

Will's heart dropped. Kayla sprang into action. "Gods no."

The three siblings and Jason went sprinting across the camp to the Big House. They ran up the steps and opened the door. Kayla and Alexa ran into the infirmary with Will close behind. They headed straight towards the room Nico was in. Will glimpsed inside and saw blood all over Nico's sheets. He felt himself go numb and tried to step forward, but Brandon was blocking his and Jason's way.

"Will, you can't come in here."

"He's going to die, isn't he?" Will asked. Brandon didn't answer. "Answer me!"

"I can't let you in here Will. Not when you're in this condition!"

Will fought to get in. "I might be able to help! Let me try!"

"You couldn't do it last time. You won't be able to do it this time either!" Kayla shouted over her shoulder. The words stung Will. "And if you try to heal him when you are this exhausted, you'll hurt yourself. That is not an option. Now get out, so we can focus. Otherwise he's going to die." Brandon shut the door in Will's face and locked it. He banged on the door, but to no avail. Jason pulled Will back from the door, whispering words of comfort. But the words fell on deaf ears. The fear Will was experiencing quickly turned into anger. He needed to find Aaron. He ran from the infirmary, leaving Jason far behind. He ran into the arena. He thought the Ares cabin had a sword-fighting class during this time. Will looked at his phone. It wasn't for another hour. He yelled in frustration and grabbed a sword. He started hacking away at some straw dummies. His thoughts blanked as he let his rage and worry wash over him.

He didn't know how long he was there, hacking. Nothing was really getting accomplished as Will was not that skilled with a sword. His hands started to go numb. He threw the sword down. He hadn't gotten rid of his anger yet. It was still bubbling up inside of him. If he didn't find a way to dispel it, he was going to burst. He turned and ran into someone. He felt himself fall to the ground.

He pushed himself up. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't-" he cut himself off as he realized who he had run into.

"Oh man, are you okay?" Aaron asked, reaching out his hand to help Will up. Will refused his hand.

"Fine. Thanks." He said curtly. Aaron withdrew his hand sheepishly. It still had a bandage on it. The sight of the injury lit a fire inside Will. That was the fist that had put Nico in the infirmary. Will forced his voice to remain steady when he spoke. "How's your hand healing up?"

"Oh." The son of Ares looks at his hand. "It's almost all healed. Just a scratch now. Just keeping the bandage on for protection."

"How did you get that injury?" Will dared to ask.

Aaron turned red as he spluttered. "I- um- during the game, I-um- someone sliced it open."

"Why so much hesitation? It seems like a memorable experience. Almost getting your hand sliced off."

"The question just surprised me." Aaron seemed to recover his composure. "Why the interrogation? What's the problem here?"

"The problem-" Will's voice got louder, before he took a breath. He couldn't get into a fight with this guy. He had almost killed Nico. "The problem is your injury wasn't consistent with a knife wound. It looked like you split your hand. Punching someone."

Fear appeared in Aaron's eyes. Will felt himself smirk. Got him. "What are you insinuating?"

"I just thought it was interesting that you were the only one who knew where Nico was. And your hand had injuries that matched the wounds that Nico had on his body." Will shrugged. "But what do I know? I'm just a homosexual. That doesn't mean much in your book does it? That's why you beat up Nico?"

"You better back off." Aaron threatened. But Will was just getting started.

"What? Gonna beat me up too? Just like you did Nico?" Will taunted. "You could have killed him, you know that. But that's what Drew wanted you to do, huh?"

Aaron looked defensive. "I don't-even-even know what you're talking about. I've never even met this kid. And what does Drew have anything to do with this?" So he was touchy about Drew? Will decided to push Aaron just a little further.

"She has everything to do with it, Aaron." Will continued. "She's the boss of you, isn't she?"

"You need to watch your mou-"

"Always in control. Bending you to her will. Tell me, do you enjoy being ordered around like a dog?" His words were met with fury. Aaron punched him in the jaw. Will felt himself fall back. He hit the ground hard. Will welcomed the pain and the attack. It gave him an excuse to fight back. He grabbed his cheek as he used his elbows to prop himself up. "Got a little temper do we?"

"Shut up!"

"Did that temper come out when you were beating up my boyfriend?" Will spat blood and spit at Aaron's shoe. Aaron let out a strangled yell and launched himself at Will. Will rolled out of the way so Aaron hit the ground hard. Will got quickly to his knees and attempted to punch Aaron in the face, but Aaron avoided his fist and lunged forward, effectively tackling and pining Will to the ground. Aaron put his arm against Will's throat and Will started choking. He tried to push Aaron off, but he was too strong. Suddenly, the weight on Will's chest was lifted. Air flowed into his lungs as he coughed, sitting up. Clarisse had grabbed her brother, hauling him back. The Ares cabin had arrived for their sword-fighting class.

"What the hell are you doing?" She screamed, face red as she struggled to hold him back. Will got up, rage in his stomach, as he prepared to launch himself at Aaron. He wanted to make this guy pay and beat him to a pulp. But, he was pulled back.

"No! Let me go!" He screamed as he struggled to get away from his attackers. His arms were pinned to his sides. He tried to push forward, but his attacker was stronger than he.

"Fighting isn't going to solve anything, Will!" Jason's voice sounded in his ear. Jason must have followed the Ares cabin, looking for Will. Will continued to try to fight towards Aaron, as Aaron did the same, but Jason hit the back of his knee. He crumbled down to a kneeling position, Jason's arm still around him.

"HE DID IT!" Will screamed at Jason. "HE DESERVES TO PAY!"

"That guy is insane!" Aaron gesticulated wildly at Will. "He came out of nowhere and attacked me."

"You liar! You absolute liar!" Will struggled to break free from Jason's grasp. "You are a liar! You beat up Nico! It was you! You are why he's dying right now!"

Aaron stopped fighting Clarisse. "Clarisse, who are you going to believe? A guy who looks like he hasn't slept in days and is worried about his boyfriend, or your own brother?"

"At this point, I'm not sure who to believe." She looked at Will sadly. She didn't believe him.

"He attacked me!" Will defended. "He attacked me!"

"Will, calm down!" Jason pleaded. "You aren't making yourself look good behaving like this." Will looked around. Their fight had drawn a crowd. Will slowly got up, Jason releasing his grip. He lunged forward again, but Jason grabbed him, pushing him in the opposite direction.

"Walk it off, Will." Jason muttered.

"Yeah, remember this when you try to attack me again," Aaron dared to say.

"Will, no!" Jason turned, but it was too late. Will whipped around, storming up to Aaron. He pointed a finger in his face.

"You attacked me! You're the one who is insecure about themselves that you decide to take it out on people who you think are lesser than you! I just pointed that out and you attacked me!" Jason grabbed Will's arms, pulling him back. "Jason, you have to believe me!" Will turned in Jason's arm. Tears started running down his face, mixing with the blood that was already dripping. "Nico's- Nico's dying-" he sobbed, not even caring about the crowd he was drawing. "And it's his fault!" He buried his head into Jason's shoulder. "It's my fault."

"It's not your fault." Jason whispered. "It's his fault." He glared at Aaron, making sure his next words were audible. "And we are going to make him pay." Jason put his hands on Will's shoulder and pulled him away, looking into Will's eyes. "Now let's go get you cleaned up."

Will let himself be steered away from the arena. He looked to the ground, unable to face anyone. When he glanced up, he saw campers looking at him with worry and pity in their eyes. He looked back to the ground. Jason lead him into his cabin. He opened the door and instructed Will to sit on the bed. He did as he was told and Jason disappeared behind the corner. Will looked around. He had never been inside the Zeus cabin before. There was a giant statue of the King of Olympus, looking creepily down on Will. Will felt himself shiver. He would not be able to sleep with his dad looming over him. He peered into a little alcove. Jason had adorned it with photos. There was a picture of him and Thalia, laughing. Another depicted Percy aiming a ball of water towards him. Piper was kissing his cheek. Leo and Piper with their hands around his shoulders. Frank and Jason sword fighting. And the final picture he noticed was one of Nico and Jason. Nico was glowering, his arms crossed over his chest, while Jason smiled, his eyes squinted, arm around Nico's shoulder. The sight of his boyfriend sent a pain through Will's body. He turned away from the photos. Nico was dying and Will was picking fights. He breathed deeply in. He just wanted Nico to be okay.

Jason reappeared, holding a wet washcloth and an ice pack. He placed the ice pack on the table and stood right in front of Will. He gently grabbed Will's chin, pushing it upwards. Will flinched in pain, but let Jason work. Jason carefully started sponging off the blood and snot from Will's face. Will could feel the black eye forming. He let Jason take care of him. He finished removing the blood and put the now red washcloth on the table. He handed the ice pack to Will who gratefully accepted it, allowing the numbness to wash over him.

"What happened?" Jason inquired.

"I-I went looking for Aaron." Will admitted sheepishly.

Jason's eyes widened. "Will! Do you know stupid that was?"

"Yeah, I'm plenty aware of that right now." Will allowed the sarcasm to shine through his words. "I didn't know what I was going to do when I found him. You've seen him. He's ten times stronger than me. But anyway, I went to the arena, to wait for the Ares cabin to start their lesson. Eventually, Aaron showed up. I started taunting him and accused him of beating up Nico. Then he attacked me. He started the fight. But I didn't care. I wanted to fight him. I wanted to make him pay. I wanted him to feel the pain and suffering that I was feeling. And that Nico is feeling."

Jason looked shocked at Will's words. "You- I- Will-"

Will removed the ice pack, closing his eyes, not wanting to see the terrified expression on Jason's face. "I know. I shouldn't have wanted to hurt him. It's against my morals. As a person. And as a healer." His eyes opened as he sought out Jason's eyes. "But my rage just came over me. I couldn't stop myself. I just- I felt like Nico- I needed to get revenge on Aaron."

"Hurting him isn't going to make you feel better." Jason pointed out.

Will clenched his hand in a fist. "I didn't even hurt him anyway. I had no chance. He had the advantage."

"Well maybe it's better that he did." Jason said. "If you had hurt him and put him in the infirmary, you would be under just as much scrutiny as he is. You might face the same fate that he does."

"Maybe him beating me up will prove he is guilty!" Will shot up in excitement. He allowed himself to hope.

"I don't know-" Jason seemed hesitant. "We could try to-"

"Let's go tell Annabeth!" Will suggested. "Maybe this is the evidence she needs."

"We can try." Jason said.


	32. Chapter 32: Anxiety

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Jason's POV:

Jason and Will went straight to the Poseidon cabin after being told that Annabeth was not in her cabin. They knocked on the door and Percy opened it. His hair was askew, shirt rumbled. He stepped out the door, not allowing either Jason or Will to see inside his room.

"Hey. What's up?"

"We are looking for Annabeth. Is she inside?" Jason asked trying to look inside.

Percy spluttered. "Pff- no. Do you even know Camp rules? No two members of different cabins are allowed to be in the sam-" Jason pushed open the door. Annabeth was lying across Percy's bed, reading a book, textbooks and papers littering the bedspread and floor around her.

"Hello Annabeth." Jason said. "What are you two doing?"

"Fine, you caught me!" Percy exclaimed. "Annabeth is making me study for exams and SATs so I can get into college."

"And here we thought you two were making out. But this is even more embarrassing." Jason joked. Percy turned red. "Perce- I'm just giving you a hard time. I'm proud that you are putting effort into your studies. It's a good thing. Being a good student is a-"

"I'm happy we've determined how good of a student Percy is, but we have more pressing concerns. Especially considering Nico is currently dying in the infirmary." Will's voice was coated in sarcasm. Percy snapped up at his words. His eyes opened wide.

"Oh my gods, what happened to you?" He gasped. His gasp startled Annabeth from her book. She looked up and saw why Percy had gasped.

"Oh my gods." She repeated. She stood and walked over to Will. She gently grabbed his chin, turning his head to the side to better look at the injury. "Who gave you that?" Will's hand came up to remove Annabeth's. She grabbed his still-bruised hand. "And what's this? Will, what's going on?"

"An altercation with Aaron Stevenson gave him the black eye." Jason revealed. Annabeth put her hand over her mouth.

"Did you fight back? Is that why your hand is bruised?"

"No, that was an altercation with a medicine cabinet." Will admitted. "But that's beyond the point. Did you hear what Jason said? Aaron gave me this! Is that enough evidence for your investigation?"

Annabeth held her hands up. "Whoa whoa whoa, you need to give me more information than that before I can condemn Aaron. What happened?"

For the second time that day, Will launched into a recount of the days events, he finished with. "-and he attacked me. Does that not prove anything?"

"You provoked him though, Will." Annabeth remarked.

"So?"

"So? You gave him a reason to attack you. Obviously it's not a valid reason and he will be punished, but it in no way proves he hurt Nico."

Will looked incredulous. "How?"

"Well, it's not like he beat you up because you are gay like you said he did Nico."

"I'm sorry, he BEAT me up. And that doesn't prove that he had a shady history and could be a potential attacker of Nico?"

"He is a potential suspect, obviously, and I do believe that he did it, but we do not have enough evidence at this time to conclusively-"

"Is this the Supreme Court?" Will asked. "Why do we need such damming evidence?"

"We just don't want to punish the wrong guy. Chiron asked me to do this investigation as objectively and thoroughly as possible. Are you questioning my methods?" Annabeth's voice had a challenging tone behind, as if daring Will to fight back. Percy gave Will a warning look.

"No, I just thought you were smart enough to see the evidence when it's right in front of you." He shot back. Jason watched as hurt filled her eyes, but she hid it quickly.

"This isn't the kind of person you are, Will. You are just saying this because you are hurting. Because Nico is hurt. And because you are sleep-deprived."

"NICO IS MORE THAN HURT, HE IS CURRENTLY DYING WHILE HIS ATTACKER CURRENTLY GOES FREE." Will screamed. Annabeth took a step back.

"Dying?" She asked. "I thought he was stable?"

"No! He's- he's dying-" Will's voice cracked with emotion so Jason stepped in.

"We don't exactly know what happened. One of Will's siblings ran up to tell Kayla that Nico was crashing. She didn't tell us what was going on or what had happened." Will had run from the infirmary so quickly, but Jason had stayed behind trying to find out what he could from Kayla. But she hadn't emerged. Jason had paced into front of the infirmary door for a while, but to no avail. He eventually headed out to look for Will to try and keep him out of trouble. He had, obviously, failed.

"I'm so sorry, Will. I had no idea." Annabeth apologized. "I wish there was something I could do."

"There is, but you won't do it." Will snarled. Annabeth didn't answer. "C'mon Jason. We need to find our own evidence."

Will knocked on the infirmary doors. They were still locked. He wanted to check on Nico. Kayla looked up from her table. She came over quickly and unlocked the door.

"What happened to you?" She gasped, seeing his black eye.

"How is he?" Will asked.

"Answer my question first, Will." Kayla demanded, trying to grab Will's face. He stepped back so she couldn't touch him.

"He got into a fight with Aaron Stevenson." Jason informed. Kayla's eyes went wide.

"William! What on earth has gotten into you?" She led him into the infirmary and sat him on a bed.

"My boyfriend is dying. I tend to get a little angry when the person I love is dying." Will snapped. "Now, how is he?"

Kayla looked exhausted as she brought some salve for Will's eye. "We stabilized him for now, but he's still in bad shape."

"I want to see him."

"You can't."

"Kayla, please." Will begged.

"I'm sorry. You can't see him." She tried to put the salve on Will's face as Will fought her off. "Let me help you!"

"I don't need help!" He pushed Kayla away, standing. "Nico needs help. And I think I might have some evidence that might prove Aaron is the culprit."

"What are we looking for Will?" Jason asked.

"A couple days ago, Aaron came back and I fixed up his bloody hand. I wiped the blood off with a towel. If I can find that towel, maybe it will have traces of Nico's blood on it, proving that Aaron did it." Will crouched down in front of the trash can as he explained. He pulled on a glove from the table and started sorting through the trash. He found the towel he had used to clean up Aaron. He held it up in victory. He handed it to Kayla. "Run that and see that Nico's blood is mixed with Aaron's."

"That's going to take a couple days, Will. Our technology isn't that advanced." Kayla said.

"Okay, fine, whatever. What about the cloths you used to clean up Nico? See if you have any of Aaron's blood on those." Will pushed towards Nico's room, but Kayla put a restraining hand on his chest.

"Will, we threw those out a while ago." He turned, before Kayla pulled him back. "You are not going dumpster diving!"

"What am I supposed to do? I can't just sit here, Kayla! Annabeth needs proof so I'm trying to find proof, but nothing I'm doing appears to be working." Will started pulling on his hair. Jason could see the frustration boiling up in the son of Apollo.

"Working yourself up in a fit isn't going to solve anything." Kayla explained, noticing Will's anxiety. Will started pacing like a caged animal. He started breathing heavily. Jason had seen these signs before. Will was about to have a panic attack.

"I don't know what to do! I feel so helpless, so weak! There is nothing I can do for him. Nothing." Will was wringing his hands. The cut that was on his injured hand reopened. Kayla guided him back towards one of the beds.

"You are not weak or helpless." Kayla reassured.

"Then why did you say I was when you kicked us out of the infirmary?!" Will yelled.

Kayla looked shocked. She had forgotten her hurtful words. "I didn't mean that Will."

"But it's true! I couldn't heal him. I couldn't. And now he's dying. I just need Nico to be okay." Will's voice cracked as tears started flowing down his face. She wrapped her arms around Will. Will melted into her arms, starting to sob. Jason felt for the boy. He was concerned about Nico too, and hadn't been able to see him yet. He wanted Aaron to pay the consequences as well, but he recognized that they did need proof. What more proof could they need though? Maybe they needed Nico as an eye witness, but would Nico actually wake up?

Jason was pulled from his thoughts when Kayla whispered his name. He raised his eyebrow. She was still embracing the sobbing Will. She indicated to the table where a syringe lay. Jason picked it up and handed it to her. He had a feeling about what was about to happen.

Kayla kissed Will's forehead. "I'm sorry, Will." She whispered, before plunging the needle into his arm. He gasped, pushing away from Kayla, but she held on tightly. His eyes looked betrayed as they started fluttering shut. He stopped fighting and Kayla slowly lowered him to the mattress.

"No," he moaned, but he was already too far gone. He slipped out of consciousness.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." Kayla apologized. "He was on the verge of a panic attack and he hasn't slept or eaten for three days-"

"You don't have to explain. As hard as it is for him, it must be insanely difficult for you to see him like this." Jason sympathized. He was worried for Nico and Will. He was worried Will was going to hurt himself. He was glad Kayla had intervened.

"He was going to make himself sick." Kayla sounded like she was trying to assure herself. She prepped an IV drip to get some food into Will. "Hopefully Nico will wake up by the time Will sleeps off his sedative."

"And maybe the results of the blood test will be in so we can finally find out if Aaron did it." Jason hoped.

Kayla looked unsure. "It took Aaron a couple of hours to actually come into the infirmary. I'm guessing he probably washed the blood of his hands before he came in. It is very unlikely that there will be any trace of Nico's blood on the towel, but we can check." She slid the needle into Will's arm. The IV started pumping into Will's system. She removed Will's shoes and threw the sheet over him. She rubbed some salve on the bruise that was quickly forming around Will's eye. "I hate seeing Will like this. He's usually so calm and relaxed. Violence isn't in his nature."

"When do you think he will go back to normal?" Jason voiced his concern.

"Not until Nico wakes up." She admitted. "But even then, now that this side of him has been revealed, I don't know if he can go back to normal."

* * *

Nico's POV:

 _He was running. Running through the forest, through the same path he always ran through. There was snow on the ground. Just like every other time he had had this dream, a force hit him out of nowhere. Even though he knew it was coming, it always happened when he least expected it. He went flying, hitting a tree. Aaron Stevenson appeared. He started laughing. Fear raced through Nico's heart._

 _"Show yourself!" He cried._

 _"Make the kid a leader and he finally acts like a man. But, you don't really have the strength of a leader, now do you?" Aaron said. The dream progressed exactly like it had in real life. But, Nico was trapped in his own mind. He didn't know what was dream and what was reality._

 _"What do you want?"_

 _The camper laughed. "I want you to suffer and I plan to arrange that."_

 _"Beat him to a pulp, Aaron."_

 _"Yeah, make him pay, Stevenson." His two cronies encouraged. Nico looked around, spotting Drew hidden in the shadows._

 _Nico felt a wave of fear, but he pushed it down. "You wanna see who I really am?" He let out a yell of frustration and skeletons broke through again. "This is who I really am."_

 _Aaron's two henchmen started slicing the skeletons. Aaron grabbed Nico by the throat and slammed him against the tree._

 _Aaron tightened his grip. "That is not true! I'm not the weak one here. You are." His friends had cut down the skeletons. They came over to Aaron's side and held Nico against the tree. Aaron started punching Nico in the gut. "Slicing your wrists." Punch. "Panicking over scary dreams." Punch. "Crying over your dead sister." Punch. "Attacking defenseless people because you can't control yourself." Punch. He started coughing up blood. "Getting angry because of daddy issues. You are powerless. And weak. You are nothing." Nico felt another wave of rage and summoned more skeletons. Aaron punched Nico in the face, repeatedly, breaking his nose. Nico felt blood running down his nostrils. The skeletons broke through the surface and pulled the two boys off Nico. He fell to the ground as the dead overpowered the two sons of Ares. Aaron kicked him in the stomach and legs. The son of Ares then grabbed Nico by the throat again and began suffocating him. "You can't even control them. You are pathetic. You kill defenseless people. You should just kill yourself. Or allow me to."_

 _Nico felt a wave of nausea and his skeletons all crumbled. His will to fight broke. He stopped struggling. Aaron let out a final squeeze, cutting off Nico's air supply and threw him against a tree. Before he hit the ground, he passed out. He woke up in Tartarus. This was the cycle. Aaron, Tartarus, Aaron, Tartarus. The dream didn't change until Nico passed out or was killed._

 _Nico was trapped in his own mind, unable to get out or wake up. He was in a perpetual state of fear._


	33. Chapter 33: Results

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Kayla's POV:

She woke up to the sound of Nico's heart monitor beeping loudly. The son of Hades had started breathing heavily. She secured the mask over his nose and mouth. He moaned into the mask and started speaking incomprehensibly. He had continually done this over the past five days. He was "in a coma" so the fact that he was speaking didn't really make any sense. The boy started writhing in his sheets. His stitches were going to burst open again if he didn't stop. Kayla wrapped her arms around the boy, avoiding the wires, to try to prevent him from injuring himself further. She really hoped he would wake up soon. For his sake and Will's. Nico slowly calmed down in Kayla's arms. She released him and he sunk back into sleep. She let out a breath, looking at her phone. It was Saturday, January 7th. Eight AM had just passed. Nico had been asleep since the 1st. Kayla left his room to go check on Will. She walked into the open infirmary. Will was still passed out on one of the beds. She sat down beside him and lightly started playing with his hair. She was insanely worried about her brother. The only food he had consumed in the last week was force fed to him through a tube. Will had slept off the sedative and was still catching up on the sleep he had missed. He had been asleep since Thursday morning. Kayla would wake him soon if he didn't wake up on his own. But, she let him sleep for now.

Another beeping noise startled Kayla. The blood analysis was finally done. She walked over to the machine and pulled out the piece of paper. She compared it to Nico's blood composition. She felt a little leap in her heart. There was traces of Nico's blood in the bandage. If this wasn't proof enough. But then her heart sank. What if Nico's blood from Will's towel when he had moved him from the forest has contaminated the bandage? Kayla remembered Jason throwing the towel away in the trash can after he had cleaned up Will on the first night in the infirmary. After Will had almost frozen himself to death. That would make the test inconclusive. She herself was getting frustrated. There was no direct evidence linking Aaron to Nico. No evidence that Annabeth would take into consideration. She needed to report this to the head counselors even if it didn't proof anything. They were supposed to have another meeting this morning. She headed to the rec room. When she arrived, the room was in turmoil.

"It's been almost a week since he's been beaten up, and you still haven't found anything?" Hazel had a touch of anger in her voice.

"It's not my fault. I've looked, but no solid evidence seems to be presenting itself." Annabeth protested.

"Are the accounts to Aaron's behavior change or the fact that he was the one who found Nico or the one who fits the description of the injuries he has not enough for you, Annabeth?" Hazel shot at the girl. Annabeth looked at Percy with huge eyes, asking for his help.

"Guy, do not blame Annabeth. Chiron is the one who said we needed more evidence." Percy advocated for his girlfriend. "She is just trying to do her job. She's not the bad guy."

"And you are saying Aaron is?" Clarisse exploded. "Will attacked him the other day. With eyewitness reports. Doesn't that make Will guilty?"

Jason held up his hand. "Wait a second, Aaron attacked Will, not the other way around!"

"Who told you that? Will?" Clarisse asked.

"Yeah, he told me what happened. Will didn't attack him."

Annabeth cut in. "But Will provoked him. He didn't throw the first punch, but he goaded Aaron into attacking him."

"Yeah, well Aaron told me what happened, and it's a very different story than what you've said." Clarisse informed.

"Well we also know that Aaron is a liar considering he said he didn't beat up Nico when he did." Jason retorted.

"Did he beat up Nico though?" Clarisse questioned.

"Are you on Aaron's side?" Percy asked, incredulous.

Clarisse leaned back in her chair, throwing her hands up in a shrugging gesture. "Show me the evidence, and then I'll consider the other side."

Kayla cleared her throat. Everyone's eyes turned onto her. She blushed, not used to having all the attention on her. She held up the paper. "I might have some evidence."

Everyone's eyes went wide. "Then by all means, let's hear it." Annabeth gestured her forward. Kayla heard the door swing open, but she ignored it as she walked to the head of the table. She held up the blood analysis test results.

"On the early morning of the 2nd of January, Aaron Stevenson came into the infirmary with an injured hand. Will cleaned Aaron up and send him on his way. Thursday morning, Will brought a towel with Aaron's blood on it to me to analyze to see if any traces of Nico's blood could be found. Due to the nature of Nico's injury, it was very likely that some of Nico's blood did end up in Aaron's blood stream." Everyone was leaning forward, waiting for the news. "The blood analysis showed that Aaron's blood did have traces of Nico's blood." Collective gasps and sighs of relief went around the table.

"Thank the gods." Percy slumped in relief. Jason put his head into his hands. Annabeth closed her eyes. They thought it was over.

"Can I see the test results, Kayla?" Annabeth reached out her hand.

"There's only one problem." Kayla admitted. "Will had Nico's blood over him after he carried him over from the woods. He wiped his hands on and put the towel with Nico's blood in the same trash can. The towel could have contaminated Aaron's blood. I am not sure."

"So what does that mean?" Clarisse asked. "Does this mean Aaron is guilty?"

Annabeth and Kayla looked at each other. Kayla saw the frustration in Annabeth's eyes. Even though she was supposed to remain impartial and professional, Kayla saw how torn she was. She was painted as the bad guy and this unfair leader, when in reality she was just a 17-year-old who was trying to enjoy her winter break. She wanted to help Nico. But, she had to do her job. Just as Kayla had to do hers. She looked to Chiron who had entered the room. "It's proof, but I don't think it's enough. It's been contaminated, so I really don't know."

"It can and will be used in the case against him, but it is not enough." Chiron answered.

Jason let out a sigh of frustration while Percy hit the table. Frank tried to comfort Hazel who had buried her head in her hands. Clarisse raised her eyebrows, leaning back again in her chair.

"Are you saying that we have no chance, no case against Aaron until Nico wakes up?" Piper asked. She didn't say the next part, but everyone thought it. If he wakes up.

Chiron inclined his head, giving his answer.

"Then I guess that concludes this meeting." Annabeth finished, looking exhausted.

* * *

Will's POV:

Will blinked the sleep from his eyes, stretching out his arms. He felt relaxed and well-rested. He turned his head and noticed he was in the infirmary. Wait what? He looked down. There an IV sticking out of his arm. Memories rushed back in. Kayla had drugged him. Kayla had DRUGGED him. He sat up quickly, pulling the IV out.

"Kayla!" He called out. He grabbed his phone off the beside table. He had been asleep for two days. Two days!? Kayla came from deeper in the infirmary, looking exhausted.

"Good, you're awake. I was beginning to worry." She sighed in relief. "How do you feel?"

"You drugged me." Will stated. Kayla gave him a look.

"You didn't give me much of a choice. You were on the edge of a panic attack. You hadn't slept or eaten in days. I had to do something, Will." Kayla said, exasperated.

"How's Nico?" Will asked, almost scared of the answer.

"No change." Kayla revealed. "He was having nightmares earlier, but stayed in his coma."

"Did you get the results on the blood test?"

Kayla looked even more exhausted. She opened her mouth to speak when there was a huge BOOM outside. The two siblings grabbed the bed to steady themselves and gained eye contact when the shaking had stopped. They ran for the infirmary door, down the steps and outside, looking up. A huge black cloud had descended on the camp, staying outside the boundaries, but blocking the sun. Will looked around. Campers had emerged from the cabins to see what was happening. The ground started rumbling. A blinding light went up in the middle of the camp. Will and Kayla shielded their eyes. When the light faded, there was a figure standing in the middle. Will sucked in a breath. It was Hades. Campers turned to each other, whispering. Will understood why. It was very rare for the camp to welcome gods. Much less two in a week, considering Aphrodite had visited Will earlier that week.

Hades stalked over to Will and Kayla. Will held his ground, unwilling to fear the god. Hades came right up to Will. "Where is my son? And why did I get news that he is dying?"

Kayla gestured helplessly into the infirmary. Hades glided up the steps and the door flew open. Will followed him. "Lord Hades, it is an honor to-"

"Enough with the pleasantries. I want to see my son." He demanded, not turning to look at Will.

"But, sir," Will steeled himself. "The gods aren't supposed to interfere with their children's lives. I thought that was the rule. Won't you get in trouble with the Olympic Council?"

"I have masked my presence from Zeus. He will never know I was here. And yes, I am not supposed to interfere, but this is my son, and one of my only children. I am not losing him."

He opened the infirmary door and went straight back to Nico's room, as if he knew where he was. He pointed at the handle and the door unlocked, opening. Nico was as comatose as ever, black hair spilling on the white pillow. There was a mask over his face and wires connected to his chest and arms. He looked so small, fragile, and helpless. Hades paused for a moment, taking in his son, before turning onto Will.

"You demanded that I make more of an effort for my son. Here I am, keeping my end of the bargain. Why haven't you kept your end?"

"Excuse me?" Will asked.

"When you came to the Underworld, you accused me of not being there for my son and said you were. And you let something like this happen?"

Will sucked in a breath. "This wasn't my fault. He was attacked-" he regretted his words the moment he said them. Hades' eyes started burning.

"Attacked?" Hades calmly stated. Will recognized the calm. It was the calm before the storm. "Attacked by whom?"

"We are not sure yet." Kayla rushed to answer. "There is an investigation to discover who the perpetrator is."

"He has been like this for long?" Hades asked. "Why hasn't he been healed?"

"He's been in a coma since last Sunday-"

"And you still haven't discovered who attacked him? Who is leading this investigation? Are they an imbecile?"

"Annabeth Chase is, sir. Under the supervision of Chiron." Will asserted.

Hades wrinkled his nose. Will knew that Annabeth and the god of the Underworld were familiar with each other. The god knew of her intelligence. "Why hasn't he been healed fully? I've seen your skills, Mr. Solace. You are perfectly capable of healing him."

"I wasn't this time." Will admitted. "When he first came him, I froze. It was as if my powers had turned off. I couldn't heal him." He paused. "The power to heal him was beyond Kayla and Chiron as well. Do-do you think you could heal him?"

Hades shook his head. "I do not have the same powers as your father. Healing is not my strong suit. Death and destruction is my path." He paused. "I want to talk to Chiron and Mrs. Chase. I want to know who is responsible for beating up my boy."

"You have a way of making an entrance." A voice sounded at the doorway. Will and Hades turned to find Chiron. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"How have you not discovered my son's attacker yet?" Hades interrogated.

"We are doing a thorough investigation-"

"That's bringing no results." Hades interrupted.

"We have a suspect." Chiron said.

Hades eyes narrowed. "Why have you not brought him in? Was it the same boy who attacked my son a few weeks ago?" He directed the question at Will.

"We believe so." Will answered.

"Even if he is not guilty of beating up my son this time, he should be punished for the first time."

"We cannot prove that Aaron attacked Nico with the evidence we have gotten." Chiron replied. "The blood test that Ms. Knowles ran was inconclusive. The only evidence that would proof Mr. Stevenson's guilt would be a witness and the only witness we have is Nico."

"Why hasn't he woken up yet? He doesn't appear to have any head injuries?" Hades was examining his son, but not touching him.

"He is in a sort of a coma. But it's also not really a coma." Kayla struggled to find the words. "His brain activity is not reflective of a coma patient. More like REM sleep. Only he can't seem to wake up. It's like he's trapped inside his mind. And he's been having nightmares."

"Have you not tried again to heal my son?" Hades directed at Will.

"No sir." Will answered. "I have been... incapacitated the past couple of days."

"Well, then what are you waiting for?" Hades asked. Will looked towards Kayla. She nodded encouragingly. He could do this. He could heal Nico.

Will stepped forward. He looked at Nico and allowed his emotions to overtake him. His fear and anger, his love and compassion, his worry and hope. His eyes closed as his hands started glowing. He started muttering under his breath. Words of healing. He slowly moved his hands across Nico's body, not touching, hovering over the surface. His eyes slitted open. The bruises and cuts were slowly fading and knitting themselves together. Will began to feel lightheaded, but kept going. He poured everything he had into those final moments. With one final push, he released a shockwave around the room. The three occupants of the room stumbled backwards, as Will steadied himself on the bed. He felt himself falling backwards, but Kayla wasn't his side in a minute. She lowered him into the chair.

"You did well, Will." She whispered. He leaned back in the chair. He had pushed himself too far too fast. His vision slowly faded to black.


	34. Chapter 34: Discontentment

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

"-can't believe Hades came here!" A voice sounded by Will's head, but he was still too tired to figure out who was speaking.

"He was concerned about Nico." Another female voice spoke up. Who was talking? "He wanted to make sure he was okay. Will's skills amazed him and he was surprised that Will would compromise his own health to save his son. Hades wanted whoever was responsible to be found and said he would return when we got evidence."

"How is Nico?"

"Will was able to heal most of his injuries, but he isn't 100% healed yet. And he still hasn't woken up." Kayla. That was Kayla. "Chiron is coming in today to see what we can do about waking him up."

"And Will?" It was Annabeth.

Kayla sighed. "No change. He's been down for two days again. I managed to get him on fluids and an IV quickly, but he overtaxed himself."

Whatever Annabeth had planned to say in response she didn't get to. Will finally found the strength to open his eyes. He immediately sought out Kayla's. She held her hand up to stop Annabeth from speaking and quickly came over to Will. She grabbed one of his hands.

"Thank the gods, I was so worried." Will tried to sit up as Kayla spoke to him, but she held him back down. "Don't try to get up yet. You are still weak."

Will grabbed at his face removing the oxygen mask so he could speak. "I'm-I'm fine." He coughed out. "Nico?"

Kayla and Annabeth gained eye contact before Kayla answered. "Still hasn't woken up."

Will felt crestfallen. He just wanted his boyfriend to be awake. It was past time. "So it didn't work, I didn't heal him?"

"Will, you worked wonders on him. His condition has improved so much in the last two days. He's just not ready to wake up yet." Will tried to stand as Kayla explained. He stumbled, but recovered his footing. He leaned on the side of the bed for support.

"Well it's time for him to." He forced out, finding it difficult to speak as his body was still heavy with sleep. He started to stumble when Kayla and Annabeth came on either side to support him. "No. I can do it on my own. I need to do this on my own." Both girls slowly released him. Will stood on his own. He took another step forward and didn't stumble, so he continued to Nico's room. He pushed open the door, looking to his boyfriend. He looked a lot better. He was still hooked up to the oxygen mask and heart monitor which was beating a steady rhythm. He had a tight white bandage around his chest but was otherwise covered by the blanket. Will sat down in the chair next to Nico. He grabbed Nico's hand, trying to warm his boyfriend's hands. Having Nico's hand in his reassured Will. Everything felt right with the world again. He closed his eyes, allowing memories of Nico to wash over him.

A disturbance by the door pulled him out of his memories. Chiron entered with Jason and Percy. Jason and Percy appeared to be badgering him.

"-can we see him?" Jason asked.

"We know that's why you are coming in here." Percy continued. He stopped when he saw Annabeth, Will, and Kayla. "Will, are you okay?"

"Fine." He said shortly. "Nico is waking up today we've decided."

"Mr. Solace, you cannot control when Nico awakens-"

Will interrupted Chiron, which in retrospect was not the best idea, but he could not stop himself. "I have had it with things being out of my control. He is waking up today." Will looked expectantly at Chiron. "Now, what's wrong with him?"

Chiron closed his eyes, putting his hand to Nico's head. He was silent for a few minutes, as if looking for something. He shook his head. "His mind is in turmoil. Something is keeping him from waking up. Whether it be fear or something else, I have no idea." His eyes opened. "Whatever it is, he isn't going to wake up without help." He put his hand on Will's shoulder. "I'm sorry. That's all I know."

He stood to the side of the room with Kayla, Jason, Percy and Annabeth leaving Will closest to Nico. "What about Clovis? He's helped Nico in the past with this kind of thing."

"That's when Nico was asleep, Will." Kayla said. "He is in a coma now."

"But you've seen the data. He is showing much more motor function and brain activity than typically depicted in a coma patient." Will allowed himself to hope.

"But-"

"What's the harm in doing it Kayla? It's not going to hurt either of them."

Kayla threw her hands up in defeat. "Okay. We can call on Clovis. Percy?" She trailed off.

"Of course, I'll go get him." Percy agreed, immediately heading out of the room.

"Thank you." Will lightly smiled at Kayla. He turned his head to see Jason taking in Nico. He had forgotten that Jason had not had the chance to see Nico yet. It must have been a shock for Jason, but as Will looked at his boyfriend, he noticed that Nico looked the best that he had in days. He turned to Kayla. "How are his injuries?"

"All his external injuries are completely healed, but he's still a little tender on the inside. The ribs are still mending. The lungs are also still healing as well. Considering how terrible his condition was, it's amazing that he is this healthy in just a week." Kayla listed Things were finally starting to look up. Nico was going to be okay. Will let out a breath that he had been holding for days.

Percy quickly returned, dragging a half-asleep Clovis behind him.

Clovis blinked his eyes as Will and took a beat before responding. "What do you need?" He yawned.

"Clovis, we need you to go into Nico's dreams again." Will requested.

Annabeth stepped forward. "We need you to get Nico out of the state he is in, or figure out why he can't get out."

That shook Clovis out of his fatigued state. "But- but last time..." he trailed off. Will remembered. Clovis had entered Nico's dream and had seen Tartarus. From his current reaction, Will could tell that he had been quite shaken by the experience.

"Clovis, please," Will pleaded. "I don't think we can wake him up without your help."

Clovis took a deep breath steeling himself. He closed his eyes before they slid open again. "Okay. Okay, I'll do it."

"Thank you." Will grasped Clovis's hand. He stood from his seat, offering it to him. Clovis took another deep breath before putting his hand to Nico's head. His face became concentrated as he infiltrated the boy's mind.

"Okay, I'm in. What do you need me to do?" Clovis asked. Annabeth stepped closer to Clovis.

"Okay, Clovis, tell us what you see."

"I'm alone... I'm in the forest." He started narrating. His face screwed up. "Wait, Nico just ran past me. He looks- he looks scared." Jason and Will gained eye contact as Clovis spoke. "I'm following him- oh my gods." Clovis flinched back, but maintained contact with Nico.

"What?" Annabeth asked. "What happened?"

"-Nico he just got thrown into a tree... he's talking... there is laughing- a person is coming out of the woods..." Will leaned forward eagerly. This could be it. This could prove it was Aaron. "I see- there's Drew in the outskirts- two, no three campers coming towards Will." Clovis gasped. He stayed quiet, as if listening or watching. After a minute or two, his eyes flew open.

"What?" Annabeth demanded. "What did you see?"

Clovis gulped. "They started pushing Nico around- and punching him- and saying these terrible, terrible things-oh my gods- I didn't know anyone could be this terrible."

"Who, Clovis?" Will almost screamed. Clovis looked at Will with haunted eyes.

"Aaron. Aaron Stevenson. Drew. And two of Aaron's siblings." Will felt a rush of relief.

"Is that enough Annabeth? Chiron?" Annabeth's eyes were wide as Will spoke to her. She looked at Chiron who merely nodded his head.

"We will need a direct testimony from Nico when the time comes," Annabeth looked straight into Will's eyes. "But, yes. Yes, that is enough."

Will turned to Jason and Percy. "Go get him. Jason, Percy. Go get him." They looked to Chiron for guidance again. He nodded again. They both turned to go out the door. Chiron beckoned to Annabeth, drawing her out of the room. Will, Kayla, and Clovis were left with Nico. Will breathed loudly.

"Thank the gods, this is finally over." Kayla massaged her temples.

"Not quite. Nico's still in a coma." He reminded. He turned back to Clovis who was still looking blankly into the distance. "Clovis, how do you think we can get him out of it? What's it like in there?"

Clovis shook himself from his thoughts. "From what I could tell, Nico has trapped himself inside that memory. The only way he can get out is if he can defeat Aaron in a fight. That's the only explanation I can think of."

"But how do we make sure he does that?" Kayla asked. "Because letting him do it in his own has had no success."

"I supposed we could insert someone into the dream. And use them to get Nico out. But it's risky. If the person is unable to get Nico out, they will be trapped inside the dream as well." Clovis warned.

Will didn't even hesitate. "I'll do it."

"Will-" Kayla said.

"No, don't tell me I can't, because I can." Will defended. "I can and will do it. I don't care about consequences. I want to help Nico and free him from his nightmare. I will do it." He looked to Clovis. "How do I do it?"

"We are going to need you to take another nap." Clovis instructed.

* * *

Jason's POV:

Percy and Jason marched across Camp straight to the Ares cabin. Percy knocked on the door. Clarisse opened it, before scowling and immediately shutting it.

"Clarisse, please." Percy shouted through the wood. After a moment, it opened again.

"What do you want punk? I can tolerate you, but now you are crossing a line trying to come into my cabin."

"We got him." Jason simply stated. She raised an eyebrow.

"You got proof?"

"Enough for both Annabeth and Chiron." Clarisse uncrossed her arms, holding her hands up to Percy's statement.

"Okay, I'll support you. What do you need?"

"We are going to take Aaron to the Big House to Chiron. He will decide what happens next." Jason informed.

"Well, Aaron isn't here. We can try the forge. I think he was working on a project there." Clarisse disappeared for a moment before returned, strapping her sword to her side.

"Let's head there now, before word gets out." Clarisse nodded in affirmation to Percy's proposal. They clumped together as they headed to the forge. They found Calypso and Leo working together on a sword at the front of the workshop. Leo waved to Jason, acknowledging him. Jason went up and returned Leo's hand-shake, hug combo.

"Jason, my main man, I don't see you around these parts too often." Leo greeted him.

"Is Aaron in here?"

Leo made a face. "The kid who beat up Nico? Yeah, he's in the back. I didn't want to let him in, but technically I don't own the forge-"

"Thanks Leo." Jason absently said, wanting to move in as soon as possible. He made a gesture to Percy to go around in case Aaron tried to run. Percy nodded, disappearing around the corner, as Clarisse and Jason entered the forge. Jason had a bad feeling about what was about to happen.

They walked deeper into the forge and saw Aaron, with his back turned, hammering a sword. There was a vat hot coals to his left. He had headphones in so he failed to hear Jason and Clarisse approach. Clarisse tapped him on the shoulder. He stopped mid-hammer and turned over his shoulder. He removed one earbud when he saw her.

"Hey, why are you interrupting me? I had such a good-" he cut himself off when he saw Jason. Jason snaked his hand to his pocket, preparing to draw his sword if needed. He felt Leo's and Calypso's eyes watching them. "What's he doing here?"

"We are here to bring you in, Aaron." Jason said bluntly. "We have proof that you hurt Nico."

Aaron opened and closed his mouth like a gaping face before spluttering. "Now-it-its not true."

"Did you lie to me, Aaron?" Clarisse's voice had a threatening tone. "Did I make a fool out of myself for defending you?"

"I-I-" Aaron's eyes looked wildly. His eyes seized upon the vat of coals. Jason realized a moment too late what he was about to do.

"No!" He screamed, pulling Clarisse away as Aaron dumped the burning coals onto the ground. The coals barely missed both demigods, so neither of them were hurt, but it gave Aaron enough time to escape.

"Shit!" Clarisse cursed, as Jason and her both turned to follow him. Leo tried to stop him, but Aaron pushed him to the ground, leaving the forge far behind. Where was Percy? Jason put on some more speed, but Aaron appeared to be faster. Aaron looked behind to see how close they were. Suddenly, Percy came out of nowhere in front of Aaron and Aaron, turning too late, went careening into him. The two boys were tumbling on the ground. When they stopped, Aaron was on top of Percy. He quickly sprang up, to try to run again, but Jason and Clarisse had already caught up.

"Aaron, stop. There's no point. We know it was you." Jason commanded.

"No-no it wasn't- it wasn't my fault." He screamed.

"Do not lie! You beat up di Angelo and lied about it. What is going on? Why are you behaving like this?" Clarisse questioned, her anger exploding.

Jason moved quickly to mediate Clarisse's anger. "Please, Aaron, just come quietly. It will be so much better for you if you do."

"No! I won't come!" Aaron waved the sword in front of him. "You'll have to drag me."

"That can be arranged." Clarisse threatened. Aaron's eyes went wide. Clarisse had moved quickly to arm herself and aimed a blow at Aaron. Aaron deflected it, pushing Clarisse back. Jason's hand plunged into his pocket, reaching for his sword. But Percy grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Don't." He said. "Clarisse can handle this. She needs to face Aaron."

"But she's going to hurt him or vice versa." Jason pointed out.

"We will jump in before that happens. But let Clarisse take care of this for now." Percy and Jason turned to watch the two siblings. Clarisse was screaming at Aaron and Aaron seemed to be struggling to hold up against his much more powerful older sister. Aaron caught Clarisse off guard and swiped her feet out from under her. Percy and Jason both winced as she crashed to the ground. Aaron brought his sword down, but Clarisse easily deflected it. She kicked Aaron's feet out from under him and stood up quickly. She kicked the blade out of his hand and put a restraining foot on his chest.

"It's over Aaron." She was breathing heavily. She looked over to Percy and Jason. "He's all yours, boys."


	35. Chapter 35: Answers

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

 _He was in the forest, looking around. Clovis had told him that this was going to be very realistic and Will now understood what he meant. Every single detail was exact. The barren trees swayed in the breeze. The snow was untouched this deep into the woods. Will turned, looking for any sign of life. He heard a feminine scream. He whipped around towards it and started running. He knew this was a dream, but he couldn't stop his primary instinct of helping those in need. He finally located the source of the scream. It was Drew. She didn't appear to be in any pain._

 _"Drew." He said, but she didn't appear to hear him. Her eyes were focused on the clearing. Will noticed three figures hiding in the trees. Aaron was one of them. Will realized that this was a trap for Nico. He sucked in his breath. The bastards. Nico came sprinting into the clearing and Aaron launched himself at Nico. Will screamed as Nico went flying._

 _"No, Nico!" Nico hit the tree hard and slid down it, gasping for air as he hugged him stomach. Will wanted to move, but something was holding back. He could barely watch as the scene unfolded in front of him._

 _"Show yourself!" Nico's voice sounded authoritative._

 _"Make the kid a leader and he finally acts like a man. But, you don't really have the strength of a leader, now do you?" Will growled as Aaron spoke. How dare he._

 _"What do you want?"_

 _"I want you to suffer and I plan to arrange that."_

 _"Beat him to a pulp, Aaron."_

 _"Yeah, make him pay, Stevenson." His two cronies encouraged. It was Ryan and Tyler, two of Aaron's siblings. Will had to remember that in order to tell Chiron and Annabeth._

 _"Let's see, what problem do you have with me today, Aaron?" Nico questioned. Will realized what his boyfriend was doing. He was trying to distract them to make up a plan. "Does my hair color offend you? Are you upset that you didn't get my position as head of defense?"_

 _"I don't think that scrawny little gays should get positions made for men." His brothers laughed._

 _"Insulting my sexuality again, are we? Wow, so original." Nico sassed._

 _"You're pathetic. A week back, you crying about your sister. You attacked Piper cause you can't control your emotions, but Jason beat you in your duel quite easily. You are only able to take on defenseless women huh? Oh, and I heard that you were being disgusting when making out with your boyfriend."_

 _The air was sucked out of Will's lungs. "How-how did you know about all that?"_

 _He shrugged, crossing his arms. "I have my sources. But imagine what would happen to your reputation if that got out. The terrifying son of Hades, crying over his sister, attacking women. They will finally see who you really are." What was Aaron talking about?_

 _"You wanna see who I really am?" Nico let out a yell of frustration and skeletons broke through again. "This is who I really am."_

 _Aaron's two henchmen started slicing the skeletons. Aaron grabbed Nico by the throat and slammed him against the tree._

 _"I see who you are-" Nico choked out. "You are too weak to beat me, so you brought your friends."_

 _Aaron tightened his grip. "That is not true! I'm not the weak one here. You are." His friends had cut down the skeletons. They came over to Aaron's side and held Nico against the tree. Aaron started punching Nico in the gut. Will gasped. He wanted to stop Aaron, but he still couldn't move. He watched helplessly as Nico was beat up. "Slicing your wrists." Punch. "Panicking over scary dreams." Punch. "Crying over your dead sister." Punch. "Attacking defenseless people because you can't control yourself." Punch. He started coughing up blood. "Getting angry because of daddy issues. You are powerless. And weak. You are nothing." Aaron punched Nico in the face, repeatedly, breaking his nose. Will winced, closing his eyes. He was horrified about the atrocities taking places before him. He opened his eyes again. Skeletons broke through the surface and pulled the two boys off Nico. He fell to the ground as the dead overpowered the two sons of Ares. Aaron kicked him in the stomach and legs. The son of Ares then grabbed Nico by the throat again and began suffocating him. "You can't even control them. You are pathetic. You kill defenseless people. You should just kill yourself. Or allow me to."_

 _The force that was holding Will back finally released him. Will rushed forwards. "Stop!" He screamed. The four boys fell silent. They could all hear him. Aaron smirked._

 _"Well, looky here, boys. It's the healer." Aaron looked to Nico. "Looks like your boyfriend is here to save the day."_

 _"Will-" Nico choked out._

 _"Enough, Aaron." Will looked deeply into Nico's eyes, pouring conviction into his words. "This is a dream, Nico. You are trapped in a dream."_

 _"What are you talking about Solace?" Aaron commanded. "I'm as real as you are."_

 _"Nico, the only way to get out of this is fight back! Fight back and win! You can do this!"_

 _Nico wheezed. "I-I- I can't."_

 _"Yes you can. You are Nico di Angelo. You can do anything. You have fought monsters and giants. You have defeated Titans. You survived Tartarus. All by yourself. That was all you. You can handle a homophobic bully. You can do this." Will let his pride for his boyfriend swell through his words. "Fight him! Finish him."_

 _Aaron tightened his grip. "He can't beat me." His friends had cut down the skeletons. They came over to Aaron's side. He gestured them to Will. "Take him down."_

 _Will backed up. He realized that this was a dream and they couldn't hurt him, but he didn't want to be trapped like Nico was in his own head. The two boys grabbed Will and slammed him against the tree. A pain went through Will, causing him to gasp loudly. The two boys started punching Will. He grunted in pain, and tried to focus on anything else. He looked up to focus on Nico, pleading with his eyes._

 _"Will-" Nico gasped. He threw his hand out and skeletons broke through the surface. One of them threw their arms around Aaron. Aaron released Nico. The son of Hades fell gasping to the ground. Will summoned what strength he did have and clocked one of the assailants in the face. Ryan stumbled back, but aimed another punch at Will's face. His fist connected with Will's jaw. The force of the punch almost knocked Will off his feet. Ryan went in for another punch, but his hand was held back. He turned around to look who stopped him. It was Nico._

 _"That's my boyfriend, you bastard." Nico pulled Ryan back, pushing him into another tree. He hit his head and fell to the ground. Tyler ran like a bull to tackle Nico, but Nico sidestepped him. Tyler couldn't stop himself and he ran right into Aaron, who was trying to stand. They both fell to the floor. It was a little too perfect and convenient, but Will had to remind himself that they were dreaming. Will stood up, looking towards Nico._

 _"Nico," he breathed before everything started fading away._

 _"Will," Nico exclaimed, reaching out for him. Everything was turning black. Will was waking up._

* * *

Will sat up gasping. Kayla and Clovis were staring at him, as if waiting for something.

"What happened?" Kayla asked. She was looking worriedly at his face. "How did you get this?"

Will realized that his jaw was throbbing. Somehow the injuries that he had gotten in the dream transferred to his real life. Some magical force must have been interfering. He shook the thought out of his head.

"That doesn't matter." He sat up quickly to go retake the seat next to Nico, who was still asleep. He grabbed his hand, bringing it up to his mouth. "Please, Nico." He whispered. "Please, please, please." Kayla, Clovis, and Annabeth gasped quietly. He lifted his head up. Nico's eyes were open. "Nico?" He asked.

Nico blinked a couple of times. He was awake! He was actually awake. The son of Hades was confused and disoriented, his eyes moving rapidly around.

"Nico, focus on me." Annabeth's soothing voice said. His eyes latched onto hers.

"Do we have to do this now?" Will asked.

"Yes." She said, not breaking eye contact. "Was it Aaron? Did Aaron beat you up?"

The name sent fear through Nico. His eyes looked terrified as he nodded. Will looked back towards Annabeth. "Drew, Ryan, and Tyler were there as well." She regarded this information with thoughtful grey idea as she backed out of the room.

"That's all the evidence I need, thank you." She threw over her shoulder as she jogged towards the door. Will turned his attention back to Nico. He had started to thrash around, trying to remove the cables and oxygen mask.

"Hey, hey Nico, it's okay, it's okay." Kayla reassured. "Calm down."

He kept thrashing. Will put his hands on Nico's face, holding him in place. Nico's eyes immediately sought out his. Nico's carefully crafted walls had been destroyed. He wasn't trying to hide how he was feeling. There was a whirlwind of emotions within his eyes. Thoughts were racing through his head causing his panic. Will smiled at Nico. He stopped thrashing, so the heart monitor started slowing down. "Breathe deeply, everything is okay, okay?" Nico nodded. He swallowed, pointing to the mask on his face. "Yeah, we can take this off." He removed the oxygen mask. Nico sat up.

"Will." There were so many emotions in that one word. They simultaneously moved forward, wrapping their arms around each other. Will could feel Nico's tears saturating his shirt, where he was silently crying. Will grasped tightly to his boyfriend, unwilling to let go of him. They stayed in each other's grasps without moving for about ten minutes before Will broke the silence.

"It's okay." Will murmured into his ear. He settled more comfortably on the bed. "You're safe."

"I was so scared." Nico whispered. "I was so terrified."

"And that's okay, but you are safe now. No one is going to hurt you. I got you." Nico slowly started to relax. Nico unfurled from Will. Nico looked to Kayla and Clovis who were still in the room.

"How long?"

"Nine days." Nico sucked in a breath as Kayla answered.

"How? How was I out for that long?"

"You were severely injured. There was no way to wake you up the first couple of days. Will- we couldn't fix your injuries. Will knocked himself out trying. Once you were stable, we didn't know why you wouldn't wake up. You were trapped inside your dreams. We couldn't figure out how to get you out until today." Kayla admitted.

Nico turned to look at Will more closely at the mention of him being knocked out. His eyes grew wide as he noticed the damage of Will's face. The fading black eye, bags under his lids, reddening mark on his jaw. Nico's eyes searched Will and found the fading bruise on his hand and the thin scars on his wrists.

"What happened to you?" He asked, lightly tracing his wrists and gently touching his face. Will shrugged out of Nico's touch, avoiding the question.

"He picked a fight with Aaron Stevenson." Kayla informed. "And a medicine cabinet."

"You just got that bruise on your jaw though." Clovis pointed out. "What happened?"

"I got punched in the dream. Somehow it transferred over." Will explained. A questioning look crossed Kayla's face before understanding sparked.

"Oh, this makes so much more sense. You got injured in the dream and it transferred to reality. That's why it was so difficult to heal Nico. He kept getting the same injuries over and over."

"But they were just dreams, weren't they?" Fear lining Nico's words.

"Yes, but there is an outside force interfering." Clovis answered. "A god or goddess of dreams or nightmares or memories or whatever was interfering with your dreams."

"How am I supposed to defend myself from that?" Nico looked small. "Am I ever going to sleep again without getting hurt? What if I dream of-" he trailed off, looking desperately at Will. He was terrified he was going to dream of Tartarus.

"It's not going to happen anymore, right Clovis?"

Clovis put his hands up. "I don't know. I don't know if the god is still interfering or not. I can set you up with another sleep draught that will give you dreamless sleep." Clovis put his hand to mouth as he thought, the gears turning in his head. "But, that won't necessarily be a long-term solution. You could create mental walls while sleeping. Or maybe you have to face the god to defeat him and stop him from-but you already defeated the god during the- I'll have to research on this-"

"That doesn't matter right now." Will interrupted, not wanting to cause him boyfriend anymore panic. "He can take the draughts until he builds up strength. Then, we can discuss long-term solutions." Everyone in the room fell silent before Nico spoke up again.

"What happened to Aaron?" He asked.

"We have him in custody. There is going to be a trial to determine his punishment. Don't worry. He will pay for what he did."

"It wasn't just him." Nico was getting agitated. "It was Drew too! She's the only who lead me into-into the trap- and-and his brothers-"

Will slowly wrapped his arms around Nico in an embrace. "Shhh, it's okay. We know what happened. Everything is okay now."

Nico pushed away. "No, it's not! They are going to hurt-hurt other people-and-and"

Will mouthed to Kayla as Nico stumbled over his words, asking her to give them a minute. She nodded and dragged Clovis out.

"Nico." Will said, authoritatively. Nico went silent. "Everything is okay? Okay?"

Nico opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He nodded, fighting back tears. Will wrapped his arms around Nico again. There was so much tension in the boy. Will could feel it in his tight muscles. Will released Nico and moved to sit behind him in order to get access to his shoulder. He started kneading his hands gently into the knots in Nico's back. Nico groaned loudly as the knots loosened and some of the pressure was relieved. His eyes fluttered shut as Will worked his magic. He made his way down Nico's back, careful of any injuries that might be there. When he finished, Nico leaned back against his chest, the tension drained out of his body.

"Thank you." Nico murmured sleepily, settling comfortably on Will's chest.

"You're welcome." Will muttered back, kissing Nico on the cheek. Nico looked blearily back at him, sleep pulling at him. Which was normal considering he had been asleep the last nine days. Also, he was still under a lot of stress which was very taxing on his body. Nico's eyes fluttered shut as he slowly fell back asleep. The relaxed facade he had put on for Nico slid off his face. He had pushed aside his feelings and thoughts to be there for Nico. But now that his attention was off Nico, they all came rushing back. His fear during the dream, his utter disbelief at the things that the campers had said to Nico. Anger at the amount of pain Aaron had caused Nico and how far the son of Ares had gone. Rage burned in Will's stomach. He looked up, fire blazing in his eyes as Kayla re-entered the room with Clovis. She stepped back when she made eye contact with him.

"Will-"

"He's asleep. Can you make sure he doesn't have nightmares?" Will demanded of Clovis more than asked.

Clovis blinked. It was the longest time Will had ever seen Clovis awake for. Kayla would later inform him that Percy had given Clovis a Five-Hour Energy. "Yes, of course." He walked over to the two boys. He closed his eyes and put his hand to Nico's head. Nico relaxed more fully against Will as Clovis's eyes opened. "He will have a dreamless sleep for the next couple of hours."

Will nodded his thanks and slid out from under Nico. He squeezed past Kayla to go to the door.

"Where are you going?" She interrogated.

Will didn't stop as he answered. "There is something I have to do."

* * *

Jason's POV:

Jason and Percy had their arms crossed. They were standing behind Annabeth who was currently interrogating Aaron Stevenson. They were in one of the many rooms of the Big House. Ryan Diaz and Tyler Smith were in a similar room, being interrogated by their angry older sister and Head Counselor, Clarisse. Drew was in another room being questioned by Piper. Annabeth had ordered them all to be split up to see if their stories lined up and to see if they would rat each other out. Jason and Percy had been assigned to this room in case Aaron tried anything. Not that he could get far considering he was tied to his chair with rope. He was sitting across from Annabeth's chair, but she was pacing back and forth. He currently hadn't spoken. This interrogation had been going on for an hour.

"-are you going to answer my questions?" Annabeth repeated to Aaron. He turned his nose up.

"I have nothing to say. The allegations you have against me are fabrications. You have no evidence to support the allegations. I have nothing to say. I am not guilty."

Annabeth smiled mercilessly. Jason felt a shiver go up his spine. There was something scary about her expression. She planted her hands and leaned across the table. "We have evidence. Nico woke up."

Fear ignited in the son of Ares' eyes, but he quickly masked it. Jason's brow scrunched. He had noticed another emotion in the boy's eyes. Relief. Aaron looked straight into Annabeth's eyes as he answered. "You are going to trust one person's account when there are eyewitnesses who saw me somewhere else during the time of the attack?"

"Your friends are currently being interrogated in another room right now." Annabeth's words seemed to surprise Aaron. So he didn't know that his friends had been caught. "One of them will break. Especially with the reward we are offering them."

"What are you offering them?" Aaron's voice was sharp. He didn't trust his friends.

Annabeth laughed without humor. "You don't get to know that until you give me the information I want to know." The offer didn't seem to affect Aaron's stubbornness.

"I'm done." He claimed. Annabeth stood up from the table.

"One of you will break. It just needs time." She turned to face the door. She spoke to Jason and Percy in low tones. "I'm going to see how the rest of the questioning is going. Stay here, make sure he doesn't try to leave. Also, make sure no one gets in. We don't need this spreading around camp just yet."

"It already has Annabeth." Percy gently reminded.

She let out a breath. "Any more than it already has." She glanced back at Aaron. "I'll return shortly." She opened the door, stalking out. The door didn't fully close behind her. Jason moved from his position to go and lock the door. A hand stopped the door before he could lock it.

"Will?" Jason asked, seeing the healer with anger in his eyes.

"Is he in here?"

"Who?" Jason asked, "Aaron?"

Will's eyes went wide. "Yes." He pushed open the door. He gained eye contact with Aaron. "You bastard." Will insulted as he flew at Aaron before Percy or Jason could move to stop him. He pushed the table out of the way and struck Aaron across the face so hard that his chair tipped over. "You BASTARD! YOU EVIL MONSTER!" Will screamed, spit flying. He knelt on the floor and started punching Aaron in the face. Aaron could do nothing as his hands were tied. "I SAW WHAT YOU DID! YOU ALMOST KILLED NICO! THE THINGS YOU SAID-" Will delivered one punch right after the other.

"I'm sorry!" Aaron gasped out, stopping Will's attack momentarily."I didn't-didn't mean for it to go that far-"

Will let out a yell of rage and punched the son of Ares again. Aaron's nose started bleeding when Percy and Jason decided it was time to step in. Jason grabbed Will's arm as it was gaining momentum. He almost didn't stop him, but he managed to hold Will back. Percy wrapped his arms around Will and pulled him off Aaron. Aaron gasped loudly for air as Jason slowly sat his chair back up. Percy was still struggling with Will who was still screaming obscenities at Aaron. Percy pulled Will out of the room and Jason followed once he made sure Aaron's bounds were tight.

Will was still struggling against Percy's grasp to get in the door. Jason put his hands on Will's shoulders, stopping him. "What the hell Will? What had gotten into you?! This is not who you are! You are usually much more composed and relaxed than this. You are not a typically violent person. What the hell is going on?"

"What the hell is going on here?" Annabeth's voice caused the three boys heads to snap up. She saw Will's bloody knuckles. "Will, you didn't."

"I had to." He simply stated, not fighting against Percy anymore. Annabeth looked at Will sadly. "Annabeth, Aaron admitted to beating up Nico!"

Her eyes grew wide. "Did he really?"

Jason rubbed his forehead. "Not really. He said sorry and that he didn't mean to, but that could-"

"-could be him trying to placate Will." Annabeth finished Jason's thought. "It's not enough Will. You messed up him so he might have just said that to appease you. It's not enough."

"Nothing is ever enough!" Jason saw tears running down Will's face. He noticed the bruise on Will's jaw. Where had that come from? "Nothing I do is ever enough, or ever works. And now, I'm just a terrible person who beats up people. I'm going against my mandate as a healer." A haunted look overcame Will's eyes. "I saw what happened to Nico. I went into Nico's dreams and-and saw everything." Will stumbled over his words. He looked directly into Jason's eyes. "It was terrible. The things they said. How far they went in abusing him. Jason, it was absolutely horrifying and revolting. It was terrible."

Jason's heart broke. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like for Nico and Will. Annabeth also looked heartbroken as she spoke next. "Oh, Will, I'm so sorry. But that is no excuse for you hurting another camper. What he did was unforgivable, but that doesn't give you the right to beat him up either." She gave the next command to Percy. "Lock him in one of the rooms. Chiron and Mr. D are going to want to speak to him."


	36. Chapter 36: Consequences

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

He was sitting alone in a room, but he knew that there was a guard outside the door. His leg was bouncing up and down as he waited for Chiron. His anger was so shocking to him. He was so usually calm, but something released the anger inside of him. Whether his true nature was coming out or an outside force was interfering, he had no idea. He looked up as the door opened and Chiron entered. He stood up rapidly.

"Chiron-" his teacher held his hand up stopping his words.

"Sit down Mr. Solace." Will heeded Chiron's words as he retook his seat. "Why don't you explain to me what's been going on? Because I know you William, and you are not typically a violent person."

"I've just been really worried about Nico and my stress got the better of me." Will explained. "It's not an excuse but that is what happened. It feels like..." he trailed off.

"Finish your thought."

"It feels like there is another force at play here. I'm usually not this angry and I feel angry all the time now. There is this hate inside me that I've never experienced before. Maybe there is a god interfering, I don't know."

Chiron stroked his beard as he considered Will's fears. "Hmm, that is entirely possible."

"Aphrodite also admitted to dabbling in my affairs. Hades was trying to get information on his son. Even Clovis mentioned the influence of a god in Nico's dreams." Will further explained.

"The trick is to discover which god is interfering." Chiron concluded. He looked back at Will thoughtfully. "If we discover that there is no god interference, there will be severe consequences for your actions."

"There should be consequences now." Will couldn't stop himself. "There is no excuse for what I've done. I have gone against my own morals and camp rules about hurting others. I am extremely sorry that I allowed to let my emotions influence me. I'm sorry."

"I can sense your sincerity, Mr. Solace." Chiron inclined his head. "But, I'm not the person you need to apologize to."

"No..." Will's eyes went wide. "Please, no."

"You are the one who instigated both fights with Mr. Stevenson. Even though you came off looking worse, that does not forgive your actions. Your punishment is to face him and apologize for what you've done. Also, he needs a medic. You roughed him up pretty badly."

Will sighed deeply, realizing that Chiron's mind was already made up. "Yes sir. It will be done."

Chiron nodded. "Good. You head over to his room now. Percy and Jason will be in there to keep an eye on you."

Will stood, following Chiron out of the room and towards where Aaron was being held. Annabeth was standing outside, arms crossed over her chest as she spoke with Clarisse. They stopped talking as Will approached.

"Will." Annabeth coolly said.

Clarisse stepped towards Will, forcing him to step back and hit the wall. She put an accusing finger on his chest. "Beating up my siblings is my job, punk." She moved her hand, relieving the pressure. "But, I do have to compliment you on your punches. You will leave some nasty bruises-"

"Enough." Chiron grabbed the bridge of his nose, annoyed by the antics. "Can we get back to business? Mr. Solace is here to apologize and heal Mr. Stevenson. He will not interact with the boy in any other way besides those two things."

"He better not. He mucked up my investigation." Annabeth muttered. "Aaron refuses to speak now."

"I'm sorry, Annabeth-" Will's apology was interrupted.

"He will be dealt with in due time, Ms. Chase." Chiron reprimanded. "Now, please, allow Will to help Mr. Stevenson."

Annabeth rolled her eyes as she uncrossed her arms. She knocked on the door and Percy's head popped out. He surveyed everyone and his eyes widen as he saw Will.

"What's he doing here?" He asked.

"He is here to heal Aaron." Annabeth informed. She leaned closer to whisper something to him. "Make sure he doesn't try anything."

"Of course." Percy eyed Will suspiciously. "C'mon in." He opened the door.

Will walked in. Jason was in the corner, relaxed, but Will could see the alertness in the son of Jupiter's body position. Aaron was still sitting in his chair, hands bounded, blood running down his face. Will had done a number on him. Fear illuminated Aaron's eyes before he quelled it.

"Here to bash on me some more?"

Will forced down his pride as he spoke. "I'm here to apologize. And help heal you." Aaron merely inclined an eyebrow, indicating for Will to continue. "I'm sorry that I continue to beat you up. It is against my morals and my mandate and I do not know what cowardice overcame me in those moments to push me to hurt you. I apologize for hurting you." Will sat down across from Aaron. "But, I will not apologize for accusing you, because I have seen what you've done to Nico, and I want you to be brought to justice for it. I'm past physically hurting you. Now, I just want you to experience the consequences for your actions. And I'm sure every last camper wants the same." Aaron started shifting in his chair. "Because, if you truly did what I saw you did, you will be ostracized and shamed for your actions. You will face the vengeance of Nico's family, and that is a scary thing to face. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. I may be sorry for hurting you, but they won't be. I will not lay a finger on you again, but I will not stop them. And I will not stop until I get justice for Nico." Aaron gulped. Will felt the corner of his mouth twitch up in a smirk. Aaron was terrified. "Now, let's see what we can do about your injuries."

* * *

Nico's POV:

He opened his eyes and looked around, finding himself alone. He took a deep breath, trying to gather himself. He hadn't fully come to terms with what had happened to him. He didn't want to yet. But, he had a feeling that he would be asked a lot of questions the next couple of days. Who, what, where, when, why, how, etc. He didn't want to talk about what had happened to him. He just wanted to forget about it and move on with his life. He wanted to leave camp. It was too toxic here for him. But, he had a feeling that that wasn't going to be happening anytime soon. He knew that he still needed to heal before taking off into the world. He also knew that Aaron needed to be brought to justice and they couldn't do it without him. A shiver travelled up his back. He didn't need to think about Aaron right now. It would just stress him out more.

He took another deep breath and slowly sat up. He swung his legs out and placed them on the ground. He grabbed the phone off the bedside table. It was 1:30pm on January 10th. He didn't have any messages which didn't shock him since everyone knew he has been passed out for days. He hadn't seen any of his friends in so long. He didn't want to talk to them about what had happened. He just longed for their company. He hoped that the Romans hadn't left yet. He wanted to see Reyna and Hazel. He decided to go look for them. He knew he probably shouldn't, but he didn't really care about his injuries at the moment. He slowly stood up and managed to balance himself out. He didn't fall over. He unattached the IV and heart monitor, which caused it to beep uncontrollably. He pulled the plug out of the outlet so he won't alert any of the Apollo kids. He stepped forward and immediately stumbled, his legs going out from underneath him. He hit the floor quickly.

"Shit." He muttered, pushing himself up.

"We can't leave you alone for two minutes, can we?" Kayla's voice sounded above him. Nico looked up. Brandon and Kayla had entered his room, probably alerted by the heart monitor disconnecting. "Otherwise you'll try to escape."

"What can I say? I like consistency." Nico joked.

"Alrighty then, let's get you up. Brandon." She indicted her head to her brother and he bent down grabbing Nico's arm to hoist him up. A wave of fear went through Nico as he watched Brandon's hand make contact with his skin.

"No!" He wretched his arm away, his heart pounding in his chest, his breathing heavy. He backed up until he hit the wall. What was happening? Brandon backed away, his hands in a defensive position.

"What- what did I do?" Brandon asked Kayla, whose eyes had narrowed, examining Nico quickly. "Did I hurt him?"

"How about you step out, yeah Brandon?" Kayla suggested, calmly. Nico barely heard anything. He was trapped in his head. In combat with Aaron. "And get Will."

Nico heard footsteps, and then saw Kayla's face as she lowered herself in front of Nico. She knelt in front of him as he leaned against the wall.

"Nico, talk to me. What's going on?"

"The forest-" he gasped. "I'm in the forest-"

"No, you aren't. You are at Camp Half-Blood. You are in the infirmary. You. Are. Safe." She said with conviction in her words. Nico believed her. He slowly started calming down. He closed his eyes, relief washing over him. He was okay.

"Better." He said, looking back at Kayla's concerned face. "I'm okay."

"Okay, good. Let's get you back in bed, and we can talk about what happened."

She grabbed his arm and slowly lead him back to his bed. His lungs ached. He guessed that he was still healing. He sat back on the bed, winded from the effort it took to get in bed.

"What happened?" Kayla asked as she started to examine his wounds. None of the stitches had broken open.

"I don't know, honestly." Nico admitted. "Brandon touched me and suddenly I was back in the forest-" he trailed off.

Kayla's eyes sparked in understanding, but she said nothing. "I would suggest just getting some more rest then. You need to heal. I can get you some food, or we can just rehook you up to the IV."

"I think the IV would be better... I don't think my stomach can stand solid food right now." Kayla nodded in agreement with Nico's words. She turned around to get the bag. "Hey, Kayla?" He asked and she turned. "Do you think I could have visitors?"

The words sent an uncomfortable squirm through the girl. "I don't know. Chiron and Annabeth suggested that you don't have too many visitors. Just because we want to keep the news about Aaron quiet."

"Doesn't the camp know about that at this point?"

"Rumors are running rampant and people have noticed, but Chiron and Annabeth don't want you exposed to any gossip or anything." Kayla explained.

"But, I'm allowed to see Will-"

"That's different. He wasn't allowed in here for a while since he was deemed too close to the case. He only came in when your father-"

"My father?" Nico asked sharply. What had his father been doing.

Guilt reddened Kayla's face. "I thought Will had told you."

"I've been asleep since yesterday Kayla. Will hasn't told me anything about anyone. Not my father. Or any gossip about camp."

"You were on your death bed, Nico."

"Yeah, people keep saying that. And I know. I experienced the attack every single night."

"That's why your injuries were so terrible. Your father somehow figured out and came up to see you. He was checking in on you, making sure you were okay."

"Really?" The words sent hope soaring through Nico. His father actually cared enough to check on him.

"Yeah, it was shocking considering the gods aren't supposed to be in direct contact with their children. You should probably contact him so he knows you're awake. He wants to know that you're okay and when the trial is."

"Trial?" Nico asked.

"Yeah, we are making a case against Aaron. He's going to pay for what he did."

"So I have recount everything he did?" Nico felt fear hit him. "In front of everyone?" He didn't want to tell anyone what had happened, much less the entire camp. He would be viewed as vulnerable and weak. The whole camp couldn't know what had happened to him.

"It's okay, Nico. No one blames you or is going to think you are weak. I promise."

Nico felt his heart beating faster. He didn't want to face anyone. Kayla stepped forward, asking if he was okay, but she was interrupted.

"Nico." Will. Will's voice caused his head to snap up. Everything else in the room faded and his sights were on Will. He felt himself instantly calm down.

* * *

Will's POV:

"Will." Kayla interjected as she walked over to him.

Will broke off their eye contact to talk to his sister. "What's going on? What happened? Brandon didn't say..."

Kayla grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room, trying to take him out of earshot. "- Brandon touched Nico and he freaked out. I just got him off the edge of a panic attack. I was scared he was going to injure himself further. When I touched him, he was fine. I think, because of Aaron, he-"

"-is going to have a problem with men." Will finished, looking at Kayla intently. "He probably associates men with Aaron, because of the trauma that he caused."

"But for how long? And why didn't have a problem with you touching him?"

"Because I got him out? I don't know, maybe the full impact of his trauma is finally hitting him?" Will suggested.

"Maybe it's better if we don't let him get... overwhelmed. Keep males away from him." Will knew what Kayla was implying.

"You mean I shouldn't see him?" Will bluntly asked.

"Not just you. I mostly mean like Percy and Jason." Kayla recommended.

"Okay. Let's go back in." Will walked into the room and Nico looked back up at him. "Hey Nico. How you feeling?"

"I've been better." Nico answered.

"You've been stuck in that bed for ten days now. Do you think you want to shower? If it's okay with Kayla?" Will looked around at Kayla since she had taken over Nico's case.

She nodded. "I'm sure that would be fine. But just be careful. And don't be a superhero. If you don't feel strong enough to stand, tell us."

"I could always give you a sponge-bath. That is an option." Will joked.

"I'd prefer the shower." Nico said quickly.

"Good choice." Kayla teased. "Will can get very hands-y during them."

"That is not true!" Will felt his face get hot. Nico smirked, but it immediately melted off his face. He was anxious.

"It is." Kayla continued, trying to lift Nico's spirits. She leaned to him, whispering. "You should see the complaints I get."

"Which is a total of zero, thank you very much." Will defended.

"Whatever, bro." Kayla shot back. He held a hand out to Nico. "I'll help you get to the bathroom."

"Thanks Kayla." Nico said as he slowly stood up. He stumbled forward, even with Kayla's help, directly into Will. Will steadied Nico and to his dismay, Nico shuddered at his touch. Will sighed and released Nico. Nico looked pained to have shuddered, but continued to the bathroom. Kayla looked back at Will sadly as she helped the injured boy into the bathroom.

"If you need help, just call out. Don't let your pride get the better of you." Kayla instructed as Nico was left standing in the bathroom. "There is a towel on the rack and a change of clothes on the sink. Let us know if you need help."

"I will. Thank you." Nico closed the door. After a few moments, the shower started running.

"I'm worried about him." Will voiced his concern as he leaned against the bed, his arms crossed over his chest. "I want to be able to help him. But, I don't want him to be scared of me when I try to touch him."

"He has a lot on his plate with the trial coming up and coming to terms with what Aaron did." Kayla was looking at Nico as she spoke. Will could see the concern in her eyes. She looked up at him. "Also, have you told Nico about the trial? Or his father?"

Will hadn't shared that information with Nico. "I haven't yet. I wanted to wait a little while." The question seemed random to Will. "Why? Did you tell him?"

"I didn't know you hadn't!" Kayla defended. "He had a right to know."

"I was trying to break it to him softly." Will said, running his hand through his hair. "I don't want him to panic or anything."

"I don't think that the trial is the best thing for Nico. I brought it up and almost triggered a panic attack. He doesn't want to recount what happened."

Will looked helplessly at the bathroom door, listening for any sounds of distress. "I could probably testify for him. I saw everything that happened..."

"That won't be enough and you know it. You know how strict Annabeth and Chiron have been about this. The vision could have been altered or distorted. They will need a first-hand account. From Nico." Kayla reported.

Will sighed. "Let's cross that bridge when we get to it. The trial won't be for a least a day or two. Let's let Nico heal first and not stress him more than we need to."

"He wants visitors." The statement shocked Will, which must have shown on his face as Kayla spoke up again. "I know. He usually refuses to see anyone."

"This attack must really have him freaked out. He wants company." Will felt a pain stab his heart. Nico was terrified to be alone.

"What do you think? Should we let them in?" Kayla asked. "They've been asking to see him for days. Every morning and evening they've asked and I've had to refuse. Should I let them in?"

"Not everyone. And not Annabeth. She'll cause him more anxiety with how close she is to the case." Will advised. He also wasn't feeling very happy with the daughter of Athena at the moment either. "Maybe Reyna and Hazel. Frank could probably come in too. But not too many. We don't want to overwhelm him."

"Agreed."

A loud bang startled the two siblings. Terrible situations circulated through Will's head as he and Kayla gained eye contact. They both sprang into action, Will's hand jostling the door handle.


	37. Chapter 37: Showers

_Warning: panic attacks._

 _Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

"Nico!" Will screamed. The door wouldn't open. Nico must have locked it behind. Whether on purpose or accident, he didn't know.

"I can get the key!" Kayla interjected.

"There's no time if he collapsed." Will shouted. "I'm going to need some ambrosia after this." He breathed in deeply, focusing. He rammed his shoulder against the door. Once, twice. It hurt like a mother. Three times. The lock was starting to give way. "C'mon Nico." On the fourth push, the door sprung open.

Will tumbled in, catching himself before he hit the floor. Kayla stuck her head in after, both siblings quickly searching the bathroom. Nico was huddled against the shower wall, still fully clothed in a t-shirt and workout shorts. Tears were streaming down his face, mixing with the shower water. Will straightened, looking over his boyfriend with sympathy. He walked over to the shower, pulling off his shoes and socks. He stepped over the shower wall to join Nico in the shower. He vaguely heard Kayla step out of the bathroom to give them privacy. Nico looked up as Will sat under the warm water with him.

"Will-" he trailed off.

"I'm right here." Will reassured Nico. He didn't touch Nico, waiting for the younger boy to initiate contact. Nico's bottom lip trembled and he threw his arms around Will. The thin arms gripped Will tightly and Will returned the hug with as much intensity.

"I'm sorry-" Nico sobbed. "I mess everything up- I can't- I can't- I can't even shower correctly-"

"Hey, you don't need to apologize for anything. You are okay. You have done nothing wrong." Will rubbed circles into Nico's back to try and calm him down.

"But- but- but I flinched- when you tried to touch- touch me. What's wrong with me?!" Nico released Will, wrapping his arms around himself. He was choking on tears and shower water. "You-you aren't going to- hurt- hurt me, why- why am I scared? I'm-I'm so-STUPID!" He gripped his hands tightly in fists.

"No, you aren't." Will reasoned. He took both of Nico's hands in his, causing him to release the pressure. Will didn't want Nico to break the skin. "You have been in a terrible circumstance and it is perfectly normal to feel scared and freaked out. I'd be nervous if you weren't scared."

"But- bu- I heard you and Kayla talking- there's something wrong with me-"

Will felt a stab of guilt. He should have known that Nico would have been listening. "There is nothing wrong with you. We are just worried about you. We just want you to feel safe."

"I'm not safe." Nico whispered, looking blankly into the distance. "He can get me anywhere."

Will put his hand under Nico's chin, lightly pushing it up. The movement caused Nico to meet Will's eyes. Their eyes stayed locked. Will could see the haunted look in Nico's eyes. "He can and will not get you. He will never hurt you ever again. He is under close watch by Jason and Percy. Kayla and I will always be here to watch over you. He isn't getting in here, I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Nico begged. The statement reminded Will that it was his fault. He had asked for Nico not to leave. This was on him. His boyfriend was broken because of him. Will pushed aside his feelings for the moment. He needed to focus just on Nico.

"We are going to keep you safe, okay?" Will said. Nico didn't answer. "Okay?"

"Whatever you say." Nico said dismissively. They were silent except for the shower running. Nico got too deep in thought again, because he burst into tears again. Will wrapped his arms around Nico and Nico let him. He melted into Will's arms and the two boys let the water rain down on them.

* * *

Kayla's POV:

She waited for three hours before trying to go back into Nico's room. She didn't want to worsen the problem or interrupt the two boys, but Nico was her patient. She had a duty to perform. She took in a deep breath before slowly opening the door. She was surprised to find Nico sitting up in bed and Will in scrubs. He must have changed out of his wet clothing. She could still see evidence of his trip into the shower with the damp hair on his head curling in as it dried. He looked up as she entered. He smiled.

"Hey, Kayla."

She looked suspiciously around. "What's going on here?" She looked at Nico. "Is everything okay?" She tried to gauge what he was feeling based on his outside appearance. It seemed that some of the tension that Nico held inside himself had released, and though the bags under his eyes were present, he looked lighter. The haunted look that usually reflected in his eyes had dimmed considerably. He looked... normal.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Sorry about earlier. I just got a little upset." Nico causally said. Kayla was shocked at his nonchalant tone. What had happened in that shower?

"No worries. I'm just going to look at your wounds really quickly and then leave you be." She quickly started examining Nico. Everything was healing well. She nodded at Nico, indicating that he was okay, and started to leave the room, beckoning Will. Will followed and shut the door behind him.

"What's going on?" Will breathlessly asked. "Is something wrong?"

"That's what I was going to ask you. What happened in the shower?" Kayla tried to imply what she was thinking without saying it. Will caught on.

"Oh." He lightly said. He turned bright red. "Nothing-nothing like that! Oh my gods, nothing like that. Kayla!"

"What? He just seemed really happy. He was just upset before. I wanted to know if anything like that had happened."

"No! Absolutely nothing like that." Will stuttered. "We were just talking, I swear. He just told me everything that was happening. He's a lot better now."

"I can tell." Kayla commented.

"He wants to see everyone." Will said point-blank.

An uneasy feeling passed through Kayla. "I don't know if that's the best idea."

"It's what he wants. And I want to give him whatever he wants right now. No matter what I-what we think is the best for him."

"But, he's normal... he's okay right now." Kayla pointed out. "Don't we want to let him remain happy for as long as we can? We don't want to overwhelm him."

"He's not happy or back to normal at all." Will ran his hand through his hair, a nervous habit that Kayla didn't think Will knew he had. "He's just- I managed to calm him down for a little while but the memories and nightmares... they'll be back... something will trigger hi-"

"Which is why I think it is unwise to let his friends come in." Kayla interrupted. "More people are more likely to set him off."

"Come on, Kayla." Exasperation was tangible in Will's words. "Let the boy live a little. I will be in there, to make sure nothing bad happens. It's what he wants. Let's give him what he wants. You even said it yourself. The trial is going to come around. That's going to be traumatic for him. Let him have what he wants. Let him have time with his friends."

Kayla looked at her brother. She could see the sincerity he had in his words. He believed that this was the best for Nico. She groaned and rubbed her eyes.

"Fine, but only a couple of people." She pointed a finger at Will. "And no longer than an hour."

Will's face broke out into a smile. Kayla's heart soared. She had seen her brother go through hell the past week, blaming himself for Nico's experience and injuries. It was good to see a shadow of the old William Solace. "You have my word, sis."

* * *

Jason's POV:

Annabeth, Percy, Piper, and Jason were all sitting at the Zeus table. Jason was going to be the only one at it again since the Hunters had shipped out that morning to help Artemis search for her brother. Chiron had relieved them four from their duties of guarding the assailants, claiming that they needed a break. Frank, Reyna, and Leo had taken over guard duty.

Annabeth had her head in her hands and Percy was whispering soothing words in her ear. She was extremely stressed out, unable to break any of the four suspects they had. The evidence they had was enough, but Chiron wanted confessions if at all possible. But, Annabeth was stumped. Incentives hadn't worked. Fear tactics accomplished nothing. Jason was frustrated for Annabeth. Chiron was putting so much pressure on her to lead this investigation. Her duty to Chiron was turning campers against her even though she was just trying to do her job. She was just a teenager. She was missing her senior year to lead the investigation. Jason didn't doubt that she would be able to catch up, but he knew she longed to return to finish high school. And Annabeth was concerned about Percy, who was also missing a lot of school. Percy was smart, but Jason doubted that he would recover any assignments he has missed. His thoughts were interrupted by a hand on his arm. He looked up to find Piper speaking to him.

"-listening, Jason? Hello?"

"Sorry, what did you say?"

Piper smiled, patiently. Jason had been zoning off quite frequently the past couple of days. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just lost in thought."

"About?"

Jason sighed. "Just everything that's going on. I'm worried about Nico. And Annabeth." He said quietly, not wanting to disturb the other couple. But Percy and Annabeth were locked in their own world, each other their only focus.

Piper looked across the table at Annabeth. The concern Jason felt was reflected in her eyes. "She'll be okay. She's strong." Her luminous eyes met his again. "And I'm sure Will is taking care of Nico."

"I want to see him-"

"Your wish is my command." Jason stood quickly at the words. Kayla was standing there. The demigods were shocked that Kayla had snuck up on them. Even Percy and Annabeth had snapped out of their reverie.

"Wait, really?" Jason didn't dare believe it. "We can see him?" His friends stood up behind him, ready to rush to the infirmary before Kayla revoked her offer.

"Not all of you at once. Only a couple of people at a time. We don't want him to be overwhelmed. Hazel and Reyna are already down there, but if one of you wanted to come..." she trailed off, indicating that they needed to decide amongst themselves. The four demigods all looked at each other, as if daring the others to take the offer first. Annabeth was the first to make a move.

"I'll make it easier. I'll stay out of this." She sat down, a depressed look coming across her face. "He probably doesn't want to see me anyway; not with the investigation and all the questions. And Will probably won't allow me to even come in after the incident."

"I'm sure Nico holds nothing against you," Percy assured her. "But if you're sure, I'll stay behind with you." Which left Jason and Piper. They looked at each other.

"Nico knows you better-"

"You've gotten close the past couple of weeks-" they both said simultaneously.

"You can go, Jason." Piper said.

"Are you sure?" Jason asked.

"Yeah. You are like a brother to him. He'll be happy to see you."

"Okay." Jason smiled, secretly relieved. He had wanted to see Nico so badly, but didn't want to seem selfish or take anyone else's spot away. "I guess I'm with you Kayla."

Kayla beckoned him to follow her down the hill. He jogged to catch up and she immediately started talking.

"Will and I have some ground rules before you can see him: 1. Nico is still very shaken up, so do not mention anything about the trial or any camp gossip. We don't want to upset him. 2. He seemed to have developed an issue with men, or anyone really, touching him. No touching unless he initiates contact. 3. The moment he seems freaked out or nervous, you leave the room. We do not want any panic attacks." By the time Kayla had concluded her list, they had arrived outside the infirmary. "Is that all understood?"

"Yes." She inclined an eyebrow. Even with her dyed green hair and messy bandana, she was very intimidating. "Yes ma'am!"

She smirked. "You can go on in."

Jason opened the door for himself and headed back to Nico's room. The door was ajar. He walked over the threshold. He noticed Will standing with his back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, surveying the scene. He nodded a greeting to Jason. Jason nodded back and looked over to the bed. He braced himself to see an emaciated Nico, but found him looking... normal. Besides being shirtless and a huge bandage wrapped around his torso.

Hazel was sitting on the bed, not in contact with him. They were discussing something quietly. Reyna was standing off the side, far enough to not invade Nico's space, but close enough to make a few remarks to Hazel's anecdote. She looked up as Jason entered. Only she and her sharp instincts noticed when he quietly stepped in. That and her familiarity with Jason, which was reciprocated. Jason could tell it was Reyna just by the sound of her footsteps, the rhythm of her breathing. That kind of bond and familiarity which only comes from intense training and the close bond that forms between praetors. Frank and Reyna would eventually be that close one day.

Hazel broke off her story when she realized Reyna wasn't paying attention. She looked up and as did Nico.

"Jason." Reyna was the first to speak.

"Hey guys, I just came in to check on Nico." Jason took another step into the room, gauging Nico's reaction to make sure he didn't mess anything up. "Nico, how's everything going?"

"As good as it can be, locked in this infirmary." He raised his eyebrows at Will.

Will scoffed. "Oh don't give me that. You like being in here. It means you get to spend more time with me."

"I can't argue with that." Nico replied. Jason took another cautious step into the room. Nico looked at him with a weird expression. Then realization dawned on his face. Realization about what? "What are you doing? You can come in. I don't bite."

"Sorry, I just have a lot on mind." Jason realized his mistake before it was too late.

"Like what?" Nico's response was fast as a whip.

Crap. "Nothing too major. Thalia and the Hunters left today so I was sad to see her go." Nice recovery. He mentally patted himself on the shoulder. Nico raised his eyebrow.

"That's not it. You're worried about the trial." Nico said. "And something else must have happened, because you are supposed to be guarding Aaron?"

"And how do you figure that?" Jason joked, trying to divert attention from the trial. That was literally one of the things he wasn't supposed to talk about. "Are you a mind reader or something? Cause I would tell you to get re-certified."

"Don't lie. That's what you're thinking about, isn't it?" Nico pushed.

"A lie detector too? Wow, where did you find all these skills?"

"Stop avoiding the question, Jason, what do you know about the trial. Or anything about camp gossip. Why aren't you at your post? I want to know what's going on, but no one will tell me anything."

Jason looked helplessly at Will. He stepped forward. "We don't really need to be talking about the trial."

"Why?" Nico said sharply. "Because I freaked out earlier with Kayla? Is that why Jason is literally tiptoeing in here? Why can't anyone just treat me normally and not like I'm breakable!"

"Nico, we-" Hazel started, but Nico wasn't done. Jason had a feeling that Nico had kept this all bottled up for a while. The boy was just ready to burst.

"I only freaked out about the trial around Kayla because I didn't know it was coming. But I have to come to terms with it eventually. I just wanna know what I have to do."

Reyna sighed. "You know Chiron keeps all the information confidential. He doesn't want anyone-"

Nico, much to Jason's and Will's dismay, stood. "That's BS, and you know it. I want to know what's going on. I'm tough; I can handle it."

He took a step forward, and, to no one's surprise, collapsed. Jason saw it from a mile away and already had his arms wrapped around Nico before he hit the floor. He then remembered that that was also one of Kayla's rules. And after seeing Nico's face, he now understood why. When Nico first came into contact, his eyes immediately went into panic mode. They were flashing around, as if looking for an exit.

"Nico-" Jason started

"No!" Nico gasped. He started struggling in Jason's grasp, trying to pull himself away. "Let me go!"

Jason would have released him, but Nico would have immediately fallen if he let go. He held on a few more seconds, righting the boy. Nico pounded on his arms and chest, begging to be released. Jason complied and Nico latched onto the wall, in a defensive position. Jason heard a small "shit" from the corner.

"Please don't hurt me!"

Jason held out his hands to show his lack of a weapon. "I'm not going to hurt you. See? I'm unarmed. I would never hurt you Nico."

"No! Please!" Nico slowly slid down the wall, curling in, trying to make himself smaller. "I'll do- I'll do anything." Tears formed in his eyes. "Please don't hurt me."

Jason put two and two together. Nico was flashing back to the forest, triggered by his contact with Jason. He knelt down before Nico, making himself small as well. "I'm not going to, I promise." He tried to move forward, but Nico flinched and delved further into himself. Red seeped from the bandages around his chest.

A hand grabbed Jason's shoulder and pushed him back. "Let me handle this." A voice sounded in his ear. Will.

He spoke in a soothing, musical tone. "Nico, it's going to be okay. You are in the infirmary on Camp Half-Blood. You are safe."

But Nico was too far gone to be reasoned with. "No! Don't lie to me!" Anguish lined his words. "Please. Let me go!" The two boys ganging up on him overwhelmed him.

Without breaking eye contact with Nico's haunted eyes, Will barked out an instruction. "Hazel. There is a syringe on the back counter. Besides that, there is a vial. Do you see it?" He waited for her affirmation before continuing. "Fill the syringe and bring it to me." He switched his voice to sound like honey again. "Nico, you have no reason to fear. Just take my hand and I'll protect you."

"No!" He screamed. "You won't, you're lying!" He started hyperventilating, choking on his tears and saliva.

"Hazel, hurry." Will said with urgency. Reyna and Jason just watched in shock. They had seen glimpses of Nico's panic attacks before, but never a full one. "He's going to pass out or make himself sick. He's trapped inside himself." He turned his focus back onto Nico, inching closer. "Hey, hey, hey now, it's all right. Shhhh. It's okay."

"No!" Nico sobbed out. "Nothing-noth-nothing is okay!" Jason was scared what would happen if Nico's heart started beating any faster. He looked over his shoulder. Hazel was finally finished. She jogged over and handed the needle to Will. Will took a breath in and gained eye contact with the panicking boy.

"I'm sorry I have to do this." Before Nico could process his words, Will lunged at Nico.

Nico screamed as Will wrapped his arms around the son of Hades, the boy between his legs. Will held down his flailing limbs with his two legs and one arm. He steadied Nico's right arm and plunged the needle in. Nico moaned and tried to pull away. The sedative, however, already took hold. Nico started to calm, a relaxed expression on his face. It was quite the juxtaposition. A content expression with tears and saliva staining his face. Nico looked up at Will as he faded into unconsciousness. Will slumped against the wall, Nico collapsed on top of him.

"Will-" Jason started. Will merely held up a hand, stopping him.

"I don't want to hear it."

"I'm sorry." Jason couldn't stop himself. "I promise you; I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

"Well you did." Will bluntly said. "And he was doing so well this morning." He let out a frustrated sigh. "Kayla was right; this was a bad idea. There will be no more visitors." Hazel and Reyna both let out exasperated sighs. "Not until he is fully back to normal. You are his first and last. Now please. Just leave." Jason, at first, didn't move. "Now!" He added a little force behind his words, causing Hazel, Reyna, and Jason to get up and leave the room.


	38. Chapter 38: Compassion

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Percy's POV:

Annabeth and Percy had traveled to the arena. They entered inside, interrupting a lesson Chiron was leading with the Hermes cabin. The campers all went quiet when the two heroes entered. People still got quiet around them sometimes. The fact that they had survived through Tartarus probably had something to do with that. Percy nodded his head to Chiron, indicating that they needed to talk. Chiron excused himself from the lesson and followed the two demigods out of the arena, to get some privacy.

"Any news?" He asked. Annabeth shook her head.

"I don't... I don't think I can do it Chiron. I can't break them. I've been interrogating them for days, but I can't get any of them to admit to anything."

Chiron's face looked disappointed. "I'm sure you did your best. I, once again, asked you to do too much. We are going to move onto to the trial stage. Nico's confession should be enough."

"Enough for who?" Percy asked.

"Dionysus and I will be the judges of the trial, but Dionysus will have the final verdict on punishments and such." Chiron explained. "He is the most objective. And he has the least exposure to the campers."

"That's funny, considering he's the director." Percy joked, though there was truth behind his words. "Doesn't even know my name."

"It's his punishment. Of course he's not going to be thrilled to have the job." Annabeth pointed out. She turned her attention back to Chiron. "So when will the trial take place?"

"It needs to happen as soon as possible. Whenever Nico is available to testify." Chiron informed.

"He's awake and talking. And is in good enough condition to have visitors." Percy added.

"I will consult with Kayla and Will to find out when they think Nico's condition would allow for the trial."

"Why is the trial even necessary? They assaulted Nico; his injuries are proof enough of that." Percy interjected.

"It's a formality. We need a confession and we need an impartial judge to determine the punishment." Chiron's tail swished back and forth as he spoke.

"It just seems so unnecessary to make Nico relive his ordeal." Percy advocated for his friend. It must have been a terrible experience for Nico and he didn't want him to have to go through it again.

Chiron sighed. "I know, but we have to do it. It's just part of the process." He straightened. "Now, I have to get back to my lesson. I will discuss the matter with Kayla and Will." He turned from the two demigods.

"What about Nico?" Percy was curious. "Does he have a say?"

"He's not going to want to participate in the trial, Perce." Annabeth said.

"Then why should we force him to?"

"Because, we need to make these monsters pay for their actions." Annabeth replied.

"I guess." Percy muttered. "It just seems unfair to Nico. He's under so much stress."

"I know, Percy." Annabeth shook her head. "As terrible as a situation that it was, it needs to be resolved, and we can't do that without Nico's help."

"Let's go down to the infirmary, then, to see if we can give him a heads-up." Percy directed, but Annabeth grabbed his arm, slowing him to a stop.

"Wait, Chiron said that he wanted to talk to Will and Kayla.

Percy put his hand on Annabeth's shoulder. "And I think that Chiron is wrong not to tell Nico that the trial is coming. He's being objective and not asking about what's right for Nico. And as much as I know you care about him, you had to be objective regarding his case as well. That's why I'm stepping in."

Annabeth's features softened. Percy could tell that his words had convinced her. She released his arm. "I guess you are right. I will come with you, try to apologize to Nico."

Percy pulled her into his arms. "You have nothing to apologize for; you didn't do anything wrong. You were doing your job and Nico should understand that."

"Should?" Uncertainty lined Annabeth's words as she spoke against Percy's chest.

Percy smiled softly. He kissed the top of her head. "With as much knowledge you know, Wise Girl, you let your brain cloud too much with worry. Relax. We can't assume anything bad is going to happen until it does."

"The worst kind of stuff always happens to us Percy." Annabeth laughed bitterly.

"But that's with our enemies. Nico is a reasonable guy. He will, most likely, understand your position. He's done stuff for his father that he is probably not proud about. And if he is angry with you, he'll let it go within a few days." Annabeth sighed.

Percy released her a little bit, and she brought her head up. Percy became entrapped in her grey eyes. They were like two storms swirling, but instead of rain and clouds, it was information and deductions. She calculated everything and always measured a reasonable response. But, she was unable to hide the emotions that were revealed in her eyes. Percy had seen Annabeth afraid, excited, angry, and overjoyed. Now, he could read the doubt that she felt.

"Hey, if he can forgive me for going back on a promise that I'd protect his sister, even though I failed, he can forgive you."

"We can't assume the worst." Annabeth summarized his words.

"You got it. Now, let's get down there." He laced his hand with hers as they walked through the camp.

They waved to the Hephaestus cabin playing volleyball. Leo waved back. While his attention was on the two demigods, a ball came flying at him. Annabeth cried out a warning. Leo turned quickly and blasted the ball with a fire ball, causing the former ball to be burnt to a crisp. The cabin all groaned. Apparently, this hadn't been the first time that that had happened. Percy and Annabeth laughed lightly as they continued through the camp. They arrived at the Big House steps and immediately knew something was off. Reyna, Hazel, and Jason were sitting solemnly on the steps, talking in hushed tones.

"What's going on?" Percy asked. The three demigods looked up as the two approached. "Why aren't you with Nico?"

"Nico isn't as stable as we though he would be." Hazel mentioned as she launched in an explanation of the events that had recently occurred. When she finished, Annabeth looked back at Percy.

"Now can I assume the worst?"

* * *

Nico's POV:

He opened his eyes to find himself in a dark infirmary room. He looked around and thought he was alone. The clock read 12:38 am. He sighed and slowly sat up, resting his back against the headboard. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He wished he would go back to normal, but he didn't even know what that was anymore. He just didn't want to panic every time someone tried to touch him. He didn't want to have to be sedated every time he wanted to sleep. He didn't want to see Tartarus or Aaron's face whenever he closed his eyes. He wanted to be ten again, with Bianca, at Westover. He was ignorant of this world, but at least he was happy. He buried his head in his hands.

"Were you ever going to contact me?" Nico gasped, lurching back as a voice sounded from the corner. He peered into the dark. A figure in the chair leaned forward, snapping his fingers. Green, Greek fire sprang up in front of Nico.

"Father." Nico grabbed his beating heart. "What are you doing- how long have you been here?"

Hades brushed his hand, causing the fire to take residence in the lamp. "I wanted to check on how my favorite son was doing, as he failed to contact me and tell me what his condition was."

Nico faintly remembered someone telling him that his father wanted to see him. "Can't quite recall that."

Hades rolled his eyes dramatically. "Your friends are really terrible messengers. And promise-keepers."

"Why are you here, father?" Nico was getting annoyed, and his head was aching.

Hades leaned forward, balancing his arms on his legs, his hands clasped together. "I really did want to see how you were doing. Mentally and physically."

Nico laughed bitterly. "How do you think I'm doing?"

Hades looked at him sadly, eyes burning dimly. He shifted uncomfortably. "Do... do you want to talk about it?"

Nico's eyebrows furrowed. "Are you feeling alright? Where is this coming from?"

"Your doctor boy told me that I need to be more receptive to your emotions. Relate to you more, blah blah blah."

Nico scoffed. "That's not really your style, father."

"Yes, I know. Enough of that. What's going on?"

Almost against his will, Nico started voicing his concerns about the trial. "I just don't think I'm prepared for the trial. I don't want to have to face… the monsters who hurt me. They almost killed me. I don't want to have to see them, much less testify against them. It's my word against theirs. Who is going to believe me?"

"What happened in that forest, son?" Hades inquired. "Who hurt you? What did they do? I tried to see, but was unable to."

"Wait, Will didn't tell you what happened?" Nico asked. He assumed that his father knew about how he had been hurt. He assumed Will had told him.

"No, he just said that you had been assaulted. And that it has happened before. He didn't give me any details. I was waiting for you to wake up so you could give me information." Hades explained. "Tell me what happened. I want to know everything."

"That's quite a lot to ask father." Nico said honestly. "Starting when?"

"When you were attacked. In the forest. Tell me what happened. I can't help you, if I don't know what happened."

"I-" Nico's voice cracked. There it was again. That weakness. The weakness he wished would go away. His eyes shut as he tried to swallow down his fear. He felt two cold fingers on his temples. He wanted to flinch away, but he sat paralyzed. Images of what happened flashed across his eyes. And then it was dark. He opened his eyes to find his father staring back at him. Sympathy was reflected in his blazing eyes.

"Nico-"

"Don't." Nico interrupted. "I don't want your pity."

Hades looked taken aback. "What do you want? Tell me what I can do, and I'll do it." Hades said sincerely.

"I want to forget." Nico admitted. "I don't want to be plagued by this terrible event every single day. I don't want to remember the attack, or Tar-Tartarus. I don't want to have nightmares every night. I don't want to feel scared or unsafe anymore. I want... I want to be happy."

"Son-"

Nico stood and started to pace the room. He started mentally beating himself up. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, what was I thinking? I shouldn't have opened my mouth. I'm sorry. Just disregard that. It's impo-"

"Son." Hades voice was firm as he stood as well. "You need to let me speak before you jump to conclusions." Nico closed his mouth. Hades crossed the room to put his hand on his son's shoulder. Nico stopped himself from flinching. "Most of what you ask, yes, it is impossible. Taking your memories would change who you are. Change your very core. I cannot and will not taking your memories from you, unless you are 100% sure about taking them. Because I cannot discern the good from the bad. If I take them, I take everything. That means your friends, and Will."

Nico shuddered at the thought. As terrible as his trials and suffering had been, he didn't want to lose the few good things that had happened to him in life. "I guess I don't want that."

"But, some of what you ask is possible. I can help with the nightmares, especially since there was some god interfering with them. I will reach out to the gods I know associated with dreams and help you. And I can help you master your powers as well. My offer still stands for you to come and live in the Underworld with me. You'll be safe, down there, under my protection."

"I-I don't-"

Hades rushed to reassure him. "You don't have to decide right this moment. But, I can get you away from this suffering. You wouldn't have to relive anything again. You wouldn't have to be on trial or deal with those delinquents again. I can deal with them with a snap of my fingers."

Nico felt fear fill him. No matter how much he despised the campers who attacked him, he didn't want them to face his father's wrath. Or even his own, reminded of Bryce Lawrence. No one deserved that. "No. I don't want you to exact revenge on them father. I want them to receive the proper punishment."

"As you wish my son, but do you wish to go through the trial?" Hades asked.

"They can't do this without me." Nico admitted. As much as he didn't want to go through the trial, he knew that only he could condemn the campers.

"What do you want me to do then son?" Hades questioned.

"Just wait until after the trial and I will make my decision." Nico replied. "And... do you think you could..."

Hades inclined his head. "Of course, I will be present at the trial. I will be there to support you."

"Thank you." Nico said softly. "Father."

"Of course, my son." Hades led Nico back to his bed. Nico leaned back, feeling exhaustion wash over him, knowing that his father had something to do with it. "I do care about your safety and well-belling, my boy. Now, sleep well." Nico hit the pillows and felt his father's cool touch to his forehead.

* * *

Will's POV:

Will groaned as he pushed himself off the cold, infirmary floor.

"What the hell happened?" Kayla's voice sounded nearby. Will turned his head to see Kayla getting up from a similar position. Sunlight was filtering into the window. He glanced at his watch. It was 10:30 am on the 11th.

"I have no idea. We were in the rec room talking to Chiron last night around 9ish. Then we came back in here, to talk to Nico."

"I had been watching him-" another voice sounded. Will turned. It was Brandon. "- and I remember you guys coming in. We started talking."

"There was a black cloud and the doors opened, but I fell to the ground. I saw a figure-" Will groaned. Nico. He stood quickly, grabbing a scalpel. He pushed through Nico's door to find... Nico, asleep in his bed. Nothing was wrong. He was still here. He breathed a sigh of relief and started to move over to him.

"Oh good, I thought I had accidentally killed you." Will gasped in a breath of surprise. Without thinking, he threw the scalpel into the corner where the voice had issued from. It quivered from where it stuck into the wall.

"Will!" Kayla's voice was shrill. Will looked at who he had almost impaled.

"Oh my gods, your highness, I am so sorry." Will apologized, bowing towards the Lord of the Underworld.

Hades considered the medical knife in the wall behind him. He pulled it out of the wall and twirled it in his fingers. "Good throw. You could have caused some real damage."

"I didn't- I didn't realize you were here, sir." Will stammered.

"Hang out, did you make us pass out?" Kayla interjected. She had her arms crossed over her chest. Kayla, in her fiery nature, wasn't scared of any god, especially ones that broke into her infirmary. Brandon, on the other hand, was trying to hide behind her. He had never been exposed to any god as powerful as Hades before.

Hades smiled. "Perceptive, this one is." He placed the scalpel on the table. "Yes, I did cause you to lose consciousness."

"But you said you thought you killed us." Kayla continued.

"I was kidding." Hades smiled cooly. "Mostly."

"I mean no disrespect, but what are you doing here, Lord Hades?" Will asked, not wanting to waste time with riddles and practical jokes. He walked over to Nico and felt for his pulse. It was steady.

"Nico is fine. He's the reason I'm here."

Will's heart dropped. "Did something happen?"

"As I said before, he's fine." Hades repeated. "I just wished to converse with my son without interruption. I merely put you to sleep so I could attain the privacy that I desired."

"What did you speak with him about?" Will asked.

"That does not concern you, boy. It will remain between my son and I." Hades explained, the fire in his eyes lighting up.

"When did you speak to him?" Kayla asked. "Because we've been asleep since last night."

"We spoke around midnight, and he's been asleep ever since. I made sure to stop any nightmares coming his way."

"Why stay? If he fell asleep at midnight, why stay until this morning?" Kayla interrogated.

Hades considered her. "So many questions, tell me, do you ever stop talking?"

Kayla looked affronted, but that did not deter her from opening her mouth again.

"What my sister means to say is that-" Will interrupted, but Hades held up his hand for silence.

"She doesn't need you to jump to her defense. Let the girl speak." Hades indicated for Kayla to continue.

"What I was going to say is, no. I don't ever stop talking." Kayla finished. "Sir."

"Interesting." He turned in his chair to face both siblings. "To answer your question, I stayed because I did not want to leave my son unattended, but I had underestimated the strength of my sleep-spell. You were all asleep for much longer than I anticipated, so I stayed to watch over him." Hades stood. "Now, since he is in such good hands, I will leave you now." He started to bring his arms up, but stopped, mid-motion. "Oh, and please inform me of the trial date. I wish to attend to see the punishments allotted out to the imbeciles who assaulted my son." He flourished his hands and in an instant, was gone. Kayla and Will looked at each other, flummoxed.

"That was one of the most peculiar meetings I've ever had with a god." Kayla commented.

"You really get that a lot with my father." Nico said. Will looked around to see his boyfriend, alert and moving. He had failed to notice his change as he had been distracted by the dramatic exit of the god. "He has such drastic mood changes as well. Sometimes he's joking, like he was, and sometimes it's like he's ready to reign terror down on the whole world."

"So that's must be where you get it from?" Will dared to joke, picking up on Nico's improved mood. Improved from the previous day, that is.

Nico rolled his eyes. "Ha ha, so funny."

"How long were you awake?" Will asked.

"Enough to see you try to impale my father."

Will held his hands out defensively. "It was an accident, I swear!"

"Well your accidents are going to kill someone one day." Nico teased, but the statement hit home. Some of Will's accidents had caused deaths. Nico picked up on his mood change, and attempted to veer conversation in a different direction. "So when can I get out of this place?"

"You still have some healing to do, Nico." Kayla reminded. "And you can't leave until you are able to stomach real food."

"Yeah, haven't gotten that far yet."

"Exactly, so you are going to stay in here until you can." Will said in response to Nico's statement. "There's no rush or anything though. Only when you are ready."

"I know. I have a lot of things to get ready for." Nico said, cryptically. He shook his head and looked back at Will. "So, what's on the agenda for today?"


	39. Chapter 39: Trial

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

It was trial day. The pavilion was set up like a court room. The head table was where it usually was. Dionysus was at the center. He would be the head "judge" in Aaron's trial as he was the head of the camp. Hades was to his left, Chiron to his right. There was a table and chair set up in front of the head table for the witnesses to sit and testify. To each side, there were benches for each side to sit. Aaron, Ryan, Tyler, and Drew sat on the left side with Clarisse looming over them, keeping her brothers and Drew in check. To the right, Nico, Jason and Kayla sat. The rest of the head counselors and campers allowed to witness the trial sat in benches behind them. Will walked over to the right side and took his place next to Nico. Nico was frozen in place, staring directly at Aaron, who was glaring back at him. The son of Hades appeared to be lost in his memories because he shuddered a moment later, tearing his gaze away from Aaron's.

"You okay?" Will asked under his breath.

"Yeah, little nervous, but okay otherwise." Nico muttered back.

"Hey, everything is going to work out. We all got your back."

"Yeah." Nico absentmindedly said, still lost in his thoughts.

"Nico." Will said. Nico looked up to meet Will's eyes. "It's going to work out. We have enough evidence to take these guys down."

"That doesn't change the fact that it happened.

"Hopefully, with their punishment, you can start to put it all behind you." Will offered.

"Hopefully." Nico looked off into the distance.

After the late night conversation he had had with his father, Nico seemed ever more reserved within himself, with traces of self-depreciating humor mixed in. He had also taken to long Iris-messages with his father as well. Will wondered what they were about, but Nico would never say. It had been a relatively calm couple of days. No major incidents. Will still avoided touching Nico as much as possible. And Nico had really put effort forward to try and be ready for the trial. Will knew that Nico just wanted to get it over with.

Will looked up as people started making their way over to their seats. Annabeth stood in front of the table to discuss something with Chiron. She and Percy had headed back to school, but continued to return to camp in order to help with the investigation. Leo and Calypso, sitting close behind their bench, had taken permanent residence at Camp, Leo having helped design Calypso a beautiful cabin, all to herself. They travelled occasionally, but were staying for the trial. Hazel, Frank, and Reyna would most likely head back to Camp Jupiter when the trial was finished. The Romans had only planned to stay for New Years, but had extended their stay when Nico had been injured. Jason and Piper alternated between both camps, but attended a school in Los Angeles. Will had a feeling that they would be spending more time at Camp Half-Blood to help Nico to heal from his traumatic experience. And Will had made his own arrangements with school and his mother that he needed to tell Nico about. But, now was not the time. Annabeth had finished speaking with Chiron and was now looking out at the crowd. The campers fell silent.

"We are gathered here today for the case of Aaron Stevenson, Ryan Diaz, Tyler Smith, and Drew Tanaka and their alleged assault of Mr. Nico di Angelo." Annabeth spoke. "I have lead the investigation into the assault and have received conflicting testimonies from both sides as well as inconclusive evidence linking Mr. Aaron Stevenson to the attack. Today, Dionysus will provide an objective ruling on what he believes to be the truth. Are both sides ready to begin?"

"Yes." Aaron asserted.

Annabeth looked at Nico, needing him to confirm before proceeding. He was lost in thought. Will lightly nudged him. He started and spoke up. "Yes, Annabeth. I'm ready."

Annabeth smiled sympathetically at him. "Excellent, then the case shall begin." She cleared her throat. Apparently she was leading the trial. "On New Year's Day, Nico di Angelo was found, in the forest, with injuries similar to victims that had been assaulted. Later that night, Aaron reported to the infirmary with a hand injury consistent with one obtained with punching incorrectly. Aaron stands accused of attacking Nico. Tyler, Ryan, and Drew have been accused of being complicit in the crime. All evidence to prove them guilty or not will be presented in this trial. To begin, I call William Solace to the stand."

Will sucked in a breath, preparing himself. He stood. Nico grabbed his hand. Will looked down at Nico who gave him a reassuring smile. It gave Will the confidence to walk to the stand. He sat in the chair to face the council. Hades glowered down. Chiron's face remained passive. Dionysus looked bored.

Annabeth spoke again. "Please, tell us everything that happened."

Will swallowed and began speaking. "It all started during the Winter Solstice. I arrived at camp a couple days before to Solstice to find Nico with major injuries. He told me that he had been beaten up by an Ares camper, but refused to tell me who did it."

"Why not come forward then? Why wait this long?" Annabeth asked.

Will glanced back at Nico as he spoke. "Because Nico asked me not to say anything."

Annabeth gestured for him to continue.

"On New Year's Day, during the Capture the Flag game, no one could find Nico. We started frantically searching and eventually Aaron pointed us in the direction of Nico. We found him, with major injuries as well as heavy blood loss and hypothermia. Kayla and I brought him back to the infirmary where we looked over his injuries more thoroughly. They were consistent with the injuries of an assault victim. Nico went into critical condition. I, deemed too close to the case, was locked out of the infirmary. I was walking around camp, when Aphrodite appeared." Will closed his eyes briefly as everyone murmured around him, curious to know why a goddess had shown up at camp. Will hesitant to admit the next part, especially since Nico was listening. He hadn't gotten around to telling Nico about his request. "She started speaking to me about the prayer I had made."

"What prayer?" Annabeth questioned.

"At the Winter Solstice, Nico and I both talked to Aphrodite. She said that she wanted to get involved with our love life. I really didn't think anything more of it. A couple days after the Solstice, Nico's and I's relationship did become more interesting. We had broken up, and Nico was planning to leave camp." Will didn't enjoy sharing all about his love life, but if it would help Nico get justice.

He could tell that other campers were also shifting uncomfortably. No one liked to hear about the troubles of another's relationship.

"I prayed that Nico wouldn't leave and that he would stay. Fast forward to a couple days ago. She said that she- she answered my prayer of Nico to stay and had convince someone to beat up Nico to cause him to stay." Will heard little murmurs from behind him, but he pushed forward. "That was obviously not what my intention was with saying that. I asked who she had convinced and she didn't say exactly who but she implied that it was Drew."

"Can anyone confirm that?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes," Piper spoke up from the crowd. "I was there when it happened." She stepped forward next to Will. "All that Will said about Aphrodite is true. She started to say Drew's name but stopped herself. I remembered that Drew had started dating an Ares camper and Will and I put the two together."

"We came to the conclusion that Aphrodite had convince Drew or Aaron to beat up Nico." Will summed up.

"But what reason would either of them have for doing it?" Annabeth asked.

"Me." Will admitted. "Drew had had a crush on me, but I rejected her. She hated me for it. And she took her hate out on Nico. She threatened him, and warned of exposing him as gay to the whole camp. She also told him to kill himself." Everyone who didn't know that already, gasped around him. Dionysus twirled his fingers in his beard, considering Will's words. His expression was blank, but Will knew that thoughts were swirling in his mind. "Piper and I believe that Drew had convinced Aaron to hate me and Nico. When they started dating, Aaron started acting out of the ordinary, as confirmed by Clarisse and Connor."

"It's true." Connor Stoll piped. "He wasn't himself anymore."

"Aaron had been following Nico and I for a while. He witnessed weak points for both of us and antagonized us for them. And Drew already had a lot of hate for us, so getting a sign from her mother that it was okay to beat Nico up... she must have relished that."

"How dare you accuse me of-" Drew jumped up and tried to defend herself against Will's accusation, but Dionysus held up a warning hand.

"It is not your turn to speak, Ms. Tanaka." His voice was dangerous, eyes burning. She sat down very quickly. Dionysus indicated for Will to continue.

"After the whole confrontation with Aphrodite, Piper and I reported back to the Big House to inform Chiron and call another head-counselors meeting. We found Aaron on the steps. At the time, I didn't realize that Aaron was the one who had beat Nico up, and Piper and I didn't know that he was Drew's boyfriend. I brought him into the infirmary and wrapped his hand for him. I wiped the blood off his hand and he was on his way. The next morning, a head counselor meeting was called. We discussed all the theories that we had and all the information I have just mentioned. We connected Aaron to Drew and connected them both to Nico. The only problem is that we did not have any evidence. We concluded the meeting. A couple days past, Nico's condition was not improving. He was in critical condition, and there was nothing-" Will's voice cracked. "-nothing I could do to help him. I tried to get revenge on Aaron. I sought him out and instigated a fight with him. I accused him of beating up Nico. He threw the first punch. I defended myself, before Jason and Clarisse broke us up. I thought him beating me up would be enough evidence for Annabeth. Unfortunately, it was not. So I sought to get evidence elsewhere. I remembered cleaning up Aaron's hand of blood so I went to the infirmary to get a towel for Kayla to analyze."

"Well? What was the result?" Dionysus asked, leaning forward.

"I actually don't know. I was put under, because of the amount of stress I was facing." Will revealed.

He turned to look at Kayla and Nico. He noticed Nico first. He was staring at Will with sympathy in his eyes. Will hadn't told Nico what he had gone through while Nico had been passed out. He just wanted Nico to focus on healing. Annabeth cleared her throat. Will realized he had trailed off from his story. He looked around at Kayla.

"She was going to tell me when Lord Hades showed up, demanding to see his son. We took him to Nico and, with his convincing, I managed to heal his injuries, but soon thereafter I passed out."

"Kayla, if you come to the stand, you can share this information." Annabeth notified.

Kayla stood up and walked to stand next to Will. She started speaking. "I ran tests on the rag to see if Nico's blood had worked its way into Aaron's system. The data showed signs of Nico's blood in Aaron's stream, but the rag could have been contaminated by a rag used to clean Nico's blood off myself from the previous day." Kayla handed the piece of paper with the results on it to Annabeth. Annabeth, in turn, handed it to Dionysus. He vaguely looked it over before looking back up at Kayla.

"It wasn't enough to condemn Aaron. It had been contaminated so it was inconclusive." Kayla finished, sitting back down next to Nico.

Will continued. "Okay. I woke up two days later to discover no changes to Nico's coma. I decided it was time for him to wake up. Chiron was called in and he said Nico was tackling with something mentally. There was almost a block on his mind. We brought Clovis in. He infiltrated Nico's dreams and told us that he had seen Aaron attacking Nico with two of his siblings. It was enough evidence for Annabeth. Jason and Percy were sent to bring them in. Meanwhile, I infiltrated Nico's dreams and brought him out of his memories. I witnessed what had happened and saw that Aaron, Tyler, Ryan, and Drew were all involved. In the dream, I was attacked by Aaron and received a punch to the jaw. When I woke up, I had a bruise from the punch on my jaw. That was our first indication that there was a god involved."

"What god would be involved in Mr. di Angelo's life?" Dionysus asked.

"Probably one that had an issue with me." Hades answered. "Since they can't reach me, they took it out on my son."

"Any god you can think of?" Dionysus looks at Hades who merely shrugged.

"I have advisers looking into it." Hades replied. The two gods considered each other, probably speaking in each other's minds. Annabeth smiled at Will, encouraging him to speak.

"Shortly after I woke up, Nico awakened as well after nine days in a coma. He confirmed that Aaron had assaulted him, and Ryan, Tyler, and Drew were involved."

Gasps and sighs went around the pavilion. Dionysus sat back in his seat. "I want everything that happened to be recounted by Mr. di Angelo."

"Of course, he will testify, but Will hasn't finished yet." Annabeth reminded the god.

"I stormed out of the infirmary and went to confront Aaron. I punched him and accused him again, believing that I had finally won. He said he didn't mean to hurt Nico." Will heard Nico intake a breath. Will really should have shared this information with Nico before the trial.

"But that evidence was obtained-" Annabeth started.

"-using force. Fighting with another camper has consequences, even for you, Mr. Solace." Dionysus said cryptically.

"I-" Will didn't think that his confession would lead to him getting in trouble. "I am aware. I let my emotions and passion get the better of me. I apologized and helped to heal Aaron."

"That little piece of evidence doesn't prove anything as is." Dionysus turned his sights on Nico. "We need the full story."

* * *

Nico's POV:

Nico's heart stopped as Dionysus gained eye contact with him. As much as he wanted to get the trial over with, he sure as well didn't want to go up to the stand. He sat, frozen, unmoving, hoping that his idleness would hide him so he wouldn't be called up. Another voice called to him, but it was like they were speaking under water. Nico didn't move. He blankly stared. Eventually, a person came into focus. Will. Nico tuned his attention just on Will.

"You can do this." The son of Apollo whispered as he knelt before Nico, without touching him.

"What if I can't?" Nico whispered back, fully aware that everyone had their eyes on them.

"I'm right here to support you through this. No one is going to judge you or think any less of you. You can do this." Looking into his eyes, Nico could tell Will believed in his words.

Will's conviction gave Nico the confidence to stand up. Will stood as well. Nico squeezed his hand for that extra boost as he walked past him. Will whispered "good luck" as he sat down next to Kayla. The ten-foot gap between his bench and the stand stretched for ten miles. Nico slowly walked to the stand, feeling everyone's eyes on him. He brought his hooded eyes up to see the three "judges". Dionysus finally looked interested to be there, now that the case was getting "entertaining". Chiron met Nico's eyes with sympathy. Nico could tell his teacher did not wish for him to go through this ordeal. His father sent him silent messages of support. Nico feebly smiled at his father. He eventually arrived at the chair and sat down in it. He slowly brought his eyes up to meet Annabeth's. She smiled at him, nodding that everything was going to be okay.

"Are you ready?" She asked

"As ready as I will ever be" Nico muttered. He took a deep breath and looked up, maintaining eye contact with Annabeth. "Where do you want me to start?"


	40. Chapter 40: Tribulation

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

"Start from the beginning. Back to the first time you were attacked." Annabeth directed.

"It was a week before the Solstice. I left my cabin and went for around the forest. I saw Aaron and he had this kid pinned to a tree. He was insulting him and-" Nico stopped himself. He didn't want to out the camper as gay if he wasn't out yet. He glanced behind him and saw the camper looking at him. His eyes pleaded with him. Nico knew what it felt like to be forced out and didn't want to put this camper through it. He turned back around. "-and bullying the camper. So I stepped in and told Aaron to pick on a camper his own size. He let the camper go and he ran off. Aaron turned to me and tried to attack me. I tried to defend myself, but I was very weak from the shadow-traveling and didn't have any energy. He started beating me up. I couldn't stop him. I passed out." Nico heard gasps from his friends. Will had known, but he hadn't gotten around to telling anyone else. "I woke up in the forest and dragged myself back to my cabin where I stayed for a couple of days."

"Aaron, do you deny Nico's claims?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes." Aaron had his arms crossed over his chest and was looking at Nico with loathing. Nico shivered at the glance and averted eye contact. "I didn't beat him or anyone else up."

"Nico, can anyone confirm your story? The camper he was beating up. Do you know who it was?" Nico stiffened at Annabeth's question.

"I-I don't-"

"It was me." A shaky voice said. Nico turned quickly. It was the kid who had been beat up. "My name is Lucas, son of Hermes. And I can confirm that Aaron beat me up."

"What reason did he give for doing it?" Annabeth inquired.

"He's a bully; he doesn't need a reason-" Nico started before Lucas cut him off.

"Because he found out that I was gay." Whatever reaction Nico had been expecting, it didn't happen. No one glared at Lucas or scooted away. In fact, everyone was just looking at Aaron in disgust. "He was planning to out me in front of the entire camp. I tried to stop him, but he just started hitting me. Then Nico came to help me. I ran, and didn't tell anyone." The story left everyone speechless before Will interceded.

"I can also confirm it. I told you about Nico coming to me with terrible wounds. Kayla saw them too." Kayla nodded along with her brother's words.

"Thank you, Lucas." Annabeth said. "That was incredibly brave, what you just did. Most people wouldn't be able to do it."

Everyone was nodding their agreement except Aaron. Nico glanced at him to see a grimace on his face. Nico looked at him with disgust. He was the only one who noticed. Or so he thought. He looked around to see Dionysus also considering the son of Ares.

"Anything to help." Lucas's words brought Nico's attention back to the matter at hand.

He looked to Annabeth for a cue and restarted his story. "After that, Will eventually came to camp and healed me. We eventually went to the Solstice and, well, Will already explained everything about that. He and I broke up, and I decided that staying at camp- staying at camp was too painful for me. There were too many terrible memories I had formed here and a lot of things that I wanted to forget. I knew I couldn't do that without leaving. So, I decided to leave Camp Half-Blood." Nico could hear whispers from his friends behind him. He hadn't told them.

"And go where?" Annabeth looked sad as she spoke.

"To live with my father, probably." Nico said.

"Why did you wait to leave?"

"Will asked me to play one last game of Capture the Flag and I agreed. If I had known what was going to-" Nico's voice cracked as he tried to answer Annabeth's inquiry. "If I had known- I wouldn't have stayed." The last phrase came out as a whisper.

"Nico." Annabeth's voice was delicate. "What happened?"

Nico let the words spill out of him without trying to stop them. He needed to get this over with. His tone was emotionless. "After our victory in the first Capture the Flag game, I was appointed Captain again. I was in charge of defense. I entered into the forest. We ambushed Hazel's attack formation and took prisoners. That's when I heard a scream. I was following the source of the screaming when a force knocked into me and I hit a tree. I was dazed and confused as I got to my feet, demanding the person to show them-self. It was Aaron. Ryan and Tyler followed. He started antagonizing me and insulting my sexuality. He brought up how I was weak because of Bianca's death and how I had attacked Piper a few days before-"

"Whoa, hold on, attacked Piper?" Annabeth asked.

"I-"

Piper stood quickly. "He's exaggerating. We were dueling and he accidentally nicked me a couple of times. He thought it was way worse than it was, but I'm fine. Aaron just used that against him to make him feel terrible." The unsaid words were there: and it worked.

"- at any rate he said certain things that no one knew about." Nico pushed on. "I knew he had been following me. Stalking me. Looking for my weaknes-" his voice cracked on the word. "He looked and he found them. I summoned skeletons to defend myself, but I wasn't- I wasn't strong enough." Tears flowed down his face. "He slammed me against a tree, suff-suffocating me."

Nico took a moment, controlling his emotions and taking care to remind himself that it was already over and Aaron couldn't hurt him again. He closed all the surrounding sounds out. He felt himself close off inside. He could feel a panic attack. He rode out the wave, unwilling to panic in front of everyone. Minutes passed. Suddenly, a hand was touching his shoulder. He flinched back and glanced up to see Annabeth.

"We can stop if you need to." She quietly murmured.

"No." He whispered back. "I want to be done with this." He raised his voice. "He suffocated me. Then, Ryan and Tyler held me down." His words rang out in the silent pavilion. No one dared to breathe. "And that's when it started. The beating. One, two, three punches. One right after the other. My ribs cracked. My nose broke. I couldn't breathe. And just when I thought I couldn't handle it, he- he cut off my air supply. I passed out, and I thought I was dead."

Silence. Absolute silence. Nico was scared to look up, to see the reactions. After another minute of silence, he slowly raised his head. He made eye contact with his father. Hades nodded slightly. It was over. He had done it. He had recounted one of the worst days of his life. He looked to Dionysus. The god merely gave him a smile of understanding as if he knew what Nico was going through. He glanced at Chiron. His head was bowed, so Nico couldn't see his face, but he could tell he was upset by the way he was holding himself. Nico didn't dare turn around. He didn't want to see the pitying glances that he was sure to get from his friends.

"I thought it was over." Nico broke the silence. "I thought I was dead. It seemed like I was. I woke up, just to experience the same beating over and over again. Every time I passed out, I would wake up in the forest again or in- in Tartarus-" the word sent a chill through the camp. "It wasn't just nightmares. It was the same beating over and over again. And I saw- I saw the same places I had seen in Hell, over and over again. I was- I was trapped in my mind, and there was nothing I could do to escape. I kept getting pounded and kept getting injured." He gestured to Kayla, turning slightly to see her. "Kayla said that's why it took so long for me to heal. Somehow, the same injuries kept happening to me. Kayla and Chiron both said it was a god interfering, but we don't know who." He swallowed. "I was trapped, and I didn't think I was going to get out. I was trapped. I thought it was the end. I had given up. And then, Will appeared in my dreams. I faced my demons. I fought back against Aaron. Will brought me home. And for better and for worse, here I am today." Nico finished, a weight taken off his shoulders.

He had finished. But, fear was still brewing inside him. Recounting that was terrible. He had revealed his weaknesses and insecurities to the entire camp. He felt panicked. He couldn't afford to break down in front of the entire camp. He took a calming breath. He tried to distract himself. He looked up at Annabeth, who had her hand over her mouth. Nico could see the tears glistening in her eyes, but she didn't cry. With all the standards she was held to, Annabeth couldn't cry in front of the camp. She would be viewed as weak, which was a terrible misconception. She was one of the strongest people that Nico knew.

"Thank you, Nico." Annabeth eventually said. Nico stood from his chair. He felt like he was in a bad dream. He turned slowly, his head looking towards the ground. He couldn't face anyone. He didn't want to see how their opinions had changed about him because of his confession. He sat next to Will. Whether something on his face showed it, Will didn't try to talk to him or touch him. In fact, the entire pavilion was silent.

* * *

Will's POV:

Will wanted to, but he knew he had to let Nico have his space. He wanted to hold him and tell him that it was over and everything would be okay, but he couldn't. He had seen how difficult it had been for Nico. He had seen the way Nico had shaken and how close he truly was to breaking down. Nico needed to help himself, before Will could intervene.

Annabeth finally spoke up again. "Aaron, please come to the stand."

Will watched as Aaron sauntered over to the stand. He sat in the chair in front of the gods. Hades glowered, looking at the camper. Chiron looked disappointed and Dionysus looked as if he couldn't care less.

"Mr. Stevenson, can you please tell us where you were during Capture the Flag on New Year's Day?"

Aaron scoffed. "I don't remember. We've had so many battles and games in that forest that I can't remember my exact location during the evening."

"Did you ever see Nico?"

Aaron looked directly at Nico. "Only once. He ran past me at the beginning of the game, but I never saw him again."

"How did you come by your hand injury then?" Annabeth asked.

"It's a tough game, someone sliced my hand in a sword-fight."

"It was a pretty deep injury. Surely you'd remember someone hurting you that badly?"

Aaron shrugged. "It was dark. I don't remember."

"Can anyone confirm your story?"

"Ryan and Tyler. I was with them the whole time."

Annabeth crossed her arms over her chest. "They stand accused of helping of you. Can you think of anyone else to provide as witness?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

"What about Drew?" Annabeth asked. "She was accused of being with you."

"She wasn't. She didn't feel well so she stayed in her cabin." Aaron revealed.

"Can anyone confirm this?" Annabeth asked to the crowd.

"Yes," Piper interjected. Will turned to see Piper standing up. "She requested to take off for the game, claiming a headache. It isn't required to take part in Capture the Flag so I saw no issue with letting her stay."

Annabeth nodded, accepting Piper's story.

"Tell me what happened the next couple of days."

"I went to the infirmary to have Will fix my hand. Then, it was camp as usual. I went to my classes, did my chores, until one day in the arena, I came across Will Solace beating the crap out of a training dummy. I asked him what he was doing when he started spouting off crap that I had beaten Nico up. He started attacking me, I was just defending myself."

"He said that you attacked him." Annabeth countered.

"Well he was lying, he attacked me." Aaron said. What a monster. "And that was only the first time. Eventually, I was brought in for questioning. I was minding my own business, sharpening my sword, when Jason and Clarisse came to tell me they were bringing me in for questioning. I was going to go with them quietly."

"According to them," Annabeth interrupted, which Aaron looked pissed about. "You ran away. Why do that if you weren't guilty?"

"Because they were both on di Angelo's side. I knew I wouldn't stand a chance. So I ran. You would probably do the same." Aaron admitted. Will had to give it to him; his lie was a good one, but it was false. "I got brought into questioning and you guys all starting badgering me. I had no idea why. I never attacked Nico. Ryan and Tyler and Drew never had anything to do with it. During the questioning, Will barged in and attacked me. He again accused me of assaulting Nico when he had absolutely no evidence."

"But you told him that you didn't mean to hurt him, which we have from multiple sources." Annabeth pointed out.

"He wasn't going to stop, so I told him that to appease him. I just wanted him to stop. I was lying."

"According to Nico and Will, you are lying now." Annabeth retorted.

"I'm-" Aaron realized something. "Hang on, this is just a formality. You've already made your decision, haven't you?" He stood, pointing an accusing finger at Dionysus.

Dionysus stayed calm. "Well I would prefer a confession from all four of you, but yes. I have come to a conclusion."

"Then why even question me like this?" Aaron's voice was rising with passion.

"To see if you would break." Dionysus' tone was terrifying. He broke eye contact with Aaron, looking down at the papers in front of him. "Alas, you have disappointed us." His eyes flickered back up. "I do believe that you are guilty, but maybe if you admit to your crimes, the punishment will not be as severe."

"I didn't do anything!" Aaron's voice faltered. He turned on Will and Nico. "They are lying."

Will saw what Aaron was about to do about, but it was too late. The son of Ares launched himself at Nico. The two boys grappled as they tumbled to the ground. Will froze with fear and shock. He couldn't move. Aaron wrapped his hands around Nico's throat, cutting off the boy's air supply.


	41. Chapter 41: Relapse

_Warning: violence, self-harm scenario. Please do not read if these themes upset you._

 _Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Will's POV:

Nico choked in pain. The sound set Will into motion. He threw himself onto Aaron, trying to tackle the camper off Nico. The momentum forced Aaron off Nico and, to Will's relief, Nico gasped in a breath of air. He was so focused on making sure he heard Nico breathe that he had forgotten that he had Aaron to deal with. Aaron pushed him off, and was on his knees, looming over Will. He reeled his arm back, about to knock the daylight out of Will. Will put his arms up in defense, but the punch never came.

He looked up to find Percy and Jason pulling Aaron off him. Aaron wielded his arms around, trying to hit someone, but a punch to his nose by Percy sent him reeling back. Jason and Percy restrained him. Will stood quickly, looking around for Nico. It was chaos. Everyone was running around. Tyler and Ryan were both restrained as well. Piper had her hand on Drew's shoulder to make sure she didn't try and run. Dionysus and Hades were both on their feet. A fire ball was burning in the god of the Underworld's hand. Chiron had his bow notched and aimed at Aaron.

Will looked, panicked, around. He spotted a dark figure huddle under one of the benches. No one was paying him any attention. Whether that was because they didn't see him or didn't care, Will didn't know. He rushed over to him, falling to his knees. Nico was hyperventilating. He was in the middle of a panic attack. He tried to gain eye contact with him, trying to calm him, but Nico was lost. He knew that there would be consequences, but he had to make sure Nico was okay. He carefully put a hand on Nico's shoulder. As he expected, Nico freaked out. He shuddered away.

"Nico, focus on me. It's just me. It's all going to be okay." Will said quietly.

"Don't lie to me!" He sobbed. "He attacked me!"

"And he never will again." Will reasoned.

"No! You said that last- last time." He gasped out. "I have- I- I have to get out of here." Nico reached his arm out for the shadows.

"No!" Will screamed, trying to grasp his shirt to stop him, but Nico had already disappeared. He looked up rapidly to see if anyone had seen. He locked eyes with Hades. Will bounced up and desperately started pushing his way through the crowd. Someone ran into him, and he stumbled, but he continued forward. He broke out of the crowd. He arrived in front of Hades.

"Nico-" he gasped.

"I know. I saw." Hades glowered. "Why didn't you stop him?"

"It wasn't- that doesn't matter!" Will said forcefully. "We need to find him."

"I will go." Hades turned in his spot and disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

Will blinked his eyes. He had disappeared so quickly. His one hope of finding Nico had evaporated in front of him. He was thinking of a plan when Chiron blew his conch. Everyone whipped around to see what was happening. Chiron had gotten out of his chair, and was standing over everyone, looking regal and dangerous. "Enough! Everyone calm down."

Percy and Jason brought Aaron in front of the table, forcing him down to his knees. Blood was streaming from his nose. Silence fell over the camp as Dionysus walked over to him, the footsteps the only thing disturbing the silence. He bent down, slightly, and grabbed Aaron's chin, forcing the camper to look up at him. "Would you like to admit anything now?"

Aaron tried to spit in the gods face, but Dionysus merely moved out of the way. He considered the spit on the ground before looking back at the camper. His eyes widened, looking deeply into Aaron's eyes. Aaron grimaced, his head twitching. Dionysus didn't break eye contact with him, until Aaron screamed out. "Okay! Ouch, stop!" Dionysus' glance soften. Aaron glared back at the god. "Yeah, I did it. Everything di Angelo and Solace said was true. I beat him up. I taunted him and insulted him. I followed him to look for ammunition to use against him and Solace. Ryan and Tyler both helped me."

"And Drew?" Dionysus asked.

Aaron quickly glanced at Drew, before looking back at the camp director. "She had nothing to do with it." Dionysus stared deeply at him again. "Okay, okay! She did it. She convinced me to do it. She charmed me. I believed what she was saying. And eventually, she didn't need to charm me anymore. I believed it."

Dionysus tapped Aaron on the forehead. His eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped, only held up by Percy and Jason. "Take him to the Big House and tie him to a chair. Stay there until I get there." The two boys nodded and dragged Aaron to the Big House. Dionysus turned to his brothers. "As for you two, what do you have to say for yourselves?"

"We- we were only doing what Aaron said because he threatened us. He made us help him." Ryan advocated. Tyler nodded profusely.

"We didn't want to hurt anyone." Tyler affirmed.

Dionysus considered his words and nodded. "You will do 30 hours of labor. The kitchen, stables, anywhere that Chiron sees fit. And you are required to be with a Head counselor at all times and follow their orders. That will up to Clarisse's discretion."

Ryan and Tyler slowly turned to look at their sister. She cracked her knuckles, trying to intimidate them. She succeeded and both boys looked terrified. Will guessed that they were more terrified of Clarisse than they were of Dionysus. Dionysus ordered both boys back to their cabin with Clarisse. Dionysus looked towards Drew.

"And you?"

Drew broke out in tears. "I'm- I'm sorry! I didn't want to do anything. It was all Aaron! He's a liar! He made- he made me say everything." Will felt compelled to believe her. He shook himself out of it. It was the charm-speak speaking.

"I believe that is a lie." Dionysus said. "I believe that once you got the sign from your mother that it was okay to make Nico stay, you were excited. You wanted to cause those two boys harm. Your mother or some other god influenced Aaron, but all your actions were your own. And maybe you didn't use any force, but your words caused great destruction. That is not a crime that is easily forgiven."

Shocking to no one, Drew's tears cleared up immediately. "What are you going to do to me then? Kill me?"

Dionysus raised his voice so everyone could here. "Drew Tanaka, you are hereby ban from Camp Half-Blood indefinitely." Dionysus glanced up at Reyna. "I cannot speak for Camp Jupiter."

"The same rule applies. Our borders are shut to intolerance of any kind." Reyna said with conviction.

"You have until the evening to arrange your affairs and clear out of your cabin." Dionysus went on. "Ms. McClean will keep an eye on you." Piper nodded, pulling Drew up. The two girls made their way back to their cabin. Dionysus watched them go before turning his attention back to the matter at hand. His eyes searched the pavilion. He looked at Will. "Nico?"

Will shook his head. "He disappeared. Lord Hades followed him."

Dionysus nodded. "I want to see him when he returns to camp."

"Who?" Will asked. "Nico or his father?"

"Both of them." Dionysus turned to the camp. "You are all excused from your activities for the rest of the day. Dismissed."

The campers started dispersing in pairs to discuss what had happened. Dionysus beckoned Annabeth to follow him and Chiron. Nico had gone from his mind as he had been caught up in the pace of events. But, his boyfriend came back into his head, full focus. He didn't know where Nico would have gone. Wherever he was, he was probably freaking out or passed out. But Will had no way to get to him. He sat down on a bench, pulling his hands through his hair. He thought the stress was supposed to be over, but it wasn't. So now he had to wait. Wait for Nico to return. Wait for Hades to take Nico home. Kayla, Austin, and Cecil came over to him, and sat down, giving him the silent support that he needed.

* * *

Nico's POV:

Nico gasped for air as he pulled himself from the shadows. He didn't even know where he was, but he instantly collapsed on the ground. The cold ground felt good on his face. He could feel the panic overtaking him. It was only a matter of time before he was overwhelmed, causing him to pass out. He tried to breathe, but his throat burned. He could feel the indentations where Aaron had gripped him. He knew that bruises were already starting to form. Nico closed his eyes to try to rid himself of the image of Aaron barreling towards him, but images of the forest and Tartarus burned against his eyelids. He opened his eyes again. He thought he had been getting better. But then Aaron beat him up. And he had reverted right back to where he was after the war with Gaea.

Still breathing heavily, he tried to sit up slowly. Once he lifted his head off the ground, the world turned upside down. He had moved too fast. He vomited on the ground. It kept coming up. And it was painful. Feeling disgusted, he rolled over, away from the smell, when he had finished. He sat up slowly again, to lean against a wall that was behind him. A moan issued from his mouth. The moan turned into a sob, and soon Nico was a sobbing mess. What had he gotten himself into? Sobs racked his body. The tears and mucous made it even harder to breathe, but it wouldn't stop. He cried about everything. Tartarus, Bianca. His mother, Aaron. The maze, Kronos. Gaea, Minos. Everything and anything: he just sobbed. It physically hurt him, and he could feel the strain it was having on his body. But, he couldn't stop. It was if his body had had too much pain and needed to expel it before he could continue with his life.

He kept crying, the stress finally becoming too much. He had survived so much, but he didn't know if he wanted to be alive anymore. The only thing he knew for sure is that he wanted to expel the darkness and depression from his life. He wanted to be happy. But that seems unachievable for him. He longed to rip into his skin and tear out the bad parts of him, but he knew that he couldn't do that. So tearing into his skin was the best next option for him. It was a way for him to distract from his mental pain. He looked around for something to use to cut into his skin, when he finally realized where he was.

A spark of recognition went off in him when he identified the place. It was his old home with Bianca and his mother when he had been a child. The memories went faint, as he was young and because he had been dipped in the Lethe, but he felt a strong connection. When he jumped, he must not have been thinking of anything, so it brought to him to where he would feel safe. He stood carefully, his tears drying up. He stepped over the pile of vomit and walked to the window. His heart swelled and broke at the same time when he saw the streets and canals of Venice. He was surprised that he had jumped so far without realizing it. He hadn't jumped across the ocean since he moved the Athena Parthenon. His body was tense with adrenaline, running on fight-or-flight. And he had chosen the latter. Because he was weak. He hit the wall, frustrated with himself. His hand pulsed in pain, but he welcomed it. He quickly felt in his jacket pockets. A bag of ambrosia and his phone. He pulled that out and, not shockingly, he had multiple missed messages from his friends. He powered his phone off and returned it to his pocket. He unzipped and removed his jacket. He searched the inside his pockets. He breathed a sigh of relief. He pulled out a knife from his pocket. He looked around quickly, as if scared to get caught. But he was alone. All alone. As the sadness came back, he pressed the blade into his arm, feeling pain shoot up. He breathed shakily, as he stumbled to the bathroom.

(AN: self-harm trigger warning, please do not read if this upsets you)

He sat on the edge of the bathtub, leaning heavily on the wall as he watched the blood slowly drip down his arm. It wasn't enough. He lost himself as he sliced his skin again and again. He thought about ripping up his thighs too, but that was too much work. The pain on his arms distracted from the pain in his heart, head, and throat. His thoughts went blank, the activity of cutting mind-numbing. He watched as the porcelain tub was stained with his red blood. He was making a mess, but he didn't stop. All the stress was too much. It had built up so much so it released into this. It wasn't the ideal way to cope, but Nico didn't know how else to. In his defense, he hadn't cut this badly since Jason had found him in his bathroom with his shattered mirror. It seemed so long ago, but it had only been a couple months prior. He allowed himself to become swept up in the memories

He could feel himself becoming exhausted with blood loss, a slight headache overtaking him. He knew he should stop and clean himself up, as no one would find him here, but he was just too tired. The knife fell from his hand. He was reaching down to pick it up when he realized his arms were too weak. They had lost too much blood. Nico forced himself to get up. He grabbed a towel from the sink and toweled the blood from his arms. The blood won't stop. Nico stumbled back to the tub. Nico let himself slowly sink into the empty tub. At least it would be easier to get the blood off the porcelain. The edges of his vision started going dark. He was going to pass out. He looked up at the doorway as he started to lose consciousness.

A figure appeared, but Nico couldn't be bothered by it. His eyes started to close. All of a sudden, a hand grabbed his jaw and forced his mouth open. He opened his eyes and found something being shoved into his mouth. Inadvertently, he swallowed, his throat aching. He moaned in pain. He tasted his mother's pasta. It had been ambrosia. He groaned, not wanting to be helped. He looked up to see his father standing over him, a concerned look on his face. Nico could feel the headache being held back as he regained consciousness.

"Father-" he said hoarsely, his throat throbbing. "I didn't want your help!"

Hades breathed a sigh of relief, thankful to see his son functioning. "But you needed it. I could see a faint trace of your life force in the Underworld. I don't want you down there prematurely."

"You- you don't get to make that decision." Nico lectured, sitting up slowly.

"I'm afraid I do, considering you refuse to take care of yourself."

"I'm a picture of health." Nico said sarcastically. As he spoke, he keeled forwards. His father caught him. His hands were freezing.

"Yes, I'm sure." Hades shot back. "Now I can't heal you, but I know someone who can."

"No." Nico whispered. "Don't take me back there. Please."

"I have to." Hades said, looking at his son sadly. "You're fading away as we speak."

He was right. The blackness was back. Nico felt himself being lifted as his vision went dark.

* * *

Will's POV:

Will laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. Nico had been missing for 12 hours. Drew had been kicked out of camp. Aaron was still under questioning by Dionysus. Will looked to the side to see Austin staring at him. So he was awake too. Will sighed, sitting up. Austin mirrored him. The two brothers walked out of the cabin. They sat on the steps.

"How you doing?"

Will laughed bitterly. "How do you think I'm doing, Austin?"

"That good huh." Austin said, leaning back on his hands.

"I just want him to be okay. I want him to be safe."

"And I'm sure he will be." Austin reasoned. "His father went after him; you told me that. He will find him."

"But what if it's too late? You saw how freaked out Nico was. What if something happened?" Will was getting worst-case-scenario.

"Well, there's no point in stressing if you can't prove anything."

"I-" Will started before he was interrupted by a low rumble. He and Austin both stood quickly. The ground split open and black smoke rose from the crevice. "Hades." Will started walking rapidly down the hill.

The smoke cleared and the god appeared. He was holding Nico in his arms. Will broke out into a run. He arrived, breathlessly, as Hades looked up at him.

"What happened?" Will asked. "Where-?"

"He passed out. His- his arms." Hades said, letting one of Nico's arms go. It was covered with dried blood.

"Infirmary." Will said, panicked. "Now."

He walked very rapidly down the hill, Hades following close behind. He threw open the screen door and eventually arrived at the infirmary doors. He held it open, allowing Hades to pass him. Will shivered as he felt the cold, decaying aura of the god. Austin followed, tentatively. Hades laid Nico down on one of the beds, his jacket cushioning him. He found his arms covered with dried blood.

"What happened?" Will asked breathlessly as he walked over to the cabinet to grab rubbing alcohol. "Where did you find him?"

"What do you think happened?" Hades snapped. "He tried to kill himself and probably would have succeeded had I not shown up."

Will sucked in a breath. He brought a towel and the bottle of alcohol over to the table. "Damn, it had been so long."

"It wouldn't have happened if you had been paying more attention to him!" Hades yelled hitting, and effectively breaking a side table. Will looked at him expressionless. Hades wasn't going to hurt him and he knew that.

"I wasn't the only one there. He was not just my responsibility. Anyway, once he makes a decision, there is no stopping him and you know that." Will calmly said. He considered something. "You've never seen him like this. You've never seen him hurt himself like this before, have you?"

Hades glared at Will. Will refused to back down. He glared back. "No, I haven't seen my son injure himself like this. And I never want to see it again. Fix him!"

Will blinked before focusing back on his patient. He dipped the towel in the bottle and started cleaning Nico's arms off. As the blood cleared, Will saw just how far Nico had gone. And he had lost a lot of blood. Will closed his eyes. Nico was suffering from blood loss. Will ordered Austin to grab a couple bags of blood. Nico's arms were shredded. Will scoured his body for any more injuries before he tried to heal him. He saw the bruising on the boy's neck. The bruise was the shape of a hand. Aaron's hand. Dammit. Another remainder of the incident.

Austin returned with the blood bags. Will hung them and inserted a needle into Nico's arm. The blood started flowing into him. Will scoured down the rest of his body. He undid Nico's jeans to check his thighs. Luckily, they were clear. It was just his arms that were causing most of the problems. Loss of blood and exhaustion had taken over Nico.

Will closed his eyes and began singing a healing hymn. He could feel the magic and power working its way through his system. He moved his hands over Nico's body. As he did so, he could feel his own energy depleting quickly. He opened his eyes. The angry cuts had faded to scars lining his body. If he had pushed himself further, he probably could have completely healed the skin, but he was exhausted himself. The bruise lining Nico's neck had faded to yellow. All Will wanted to do was sleep, but he needed to finish his duty. He grabbed a healing salve out of the cabinet. He brought the jar over and started slathering up Nico's arms. The burning scars cooled instantly under healing salve. He wrapped them in bandages. He inserted an IV into Nico's arm to bring back some of his color. He washed his hands at the sink and headed towards one of the beds.

"Is that it?" Hades asked. "Do you even know if he's okay? If he's going to survive?"

"He's survived through much worse. From doing it to himself and from other injuries. His blood levels are stable. The IV will help combat the exhaustion and dehydration. He's going to be fine." Will explained. "Now, if you excuse me, I'm exhausted, and I need to sleep before I collapse."

"Aren't you worried that he's going to wake up, and leave? What if he hurts himself?" Hades asked, concern evident in his words.

"Austin will watch over him. The IV has a sleeping draught in it to stop nightmares. It should keep him asleep until I wake up." Will felt droopy. He knew that he should probably stay awake to make sure Nico didn't run, but he was exhausted and stressed. All he could think about was his bed.

"Should?" Hades interjected.

"If you are really that concerned, you should stay with him. You are allowed to do that." Will sat on the bed. "Now, with absolutely no disrespect, I'm going to bed." His head hit the pillow and he instantly fell asleep.


	42. Chapter 42: Decisions

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

Nico groaned as he opened his eyes. He saw Will asleep on the bed next to his. He turned to find his father looking back at him. "So, you're still here."

"Yes. I wanted to watch over you. And that other son of Apollo was freaked out by me, so he went back to his cabin."

Nico stretched as he woke up. The cuts on his arms burned. He ignored the pain. He sat up. "Why?"

"You scared me, son." Hades shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"You are literally the god of the dead. A little blood scares you?" Nico antagonized.

Hades stood quickly. "Yes! Because it was your blood. You caused that to happen to yourself. When you die at the right time, if you die at someone else's hand, then I can accept that. But if you kill yourself. If you die early... that I cannot accept."

"It's not like I would be gone from you, father. I'll still be a presence. You can enlist me to work even when I'm dead." Nico dismissed.

"But you wouldn't be happy. You are happier alive, with your friends. You can't throw that all away." Hades explained.

"Father-"

"I'm worried about you, Nico!" Hades admitted. "I want to help you."

"I don't need your help."

"Really? The scars on your arms don't say that."

Nico sat up, gripping his hair in his hands. "I'm not... I'm not suicidal."

"I'm sorry, me walking in on your ripping into your arms wasn't a suicidal action?" Hades harshly asked.

"No- no, I'm not- I don't want to kill myself- it's hard to explain." Nico was pulling his hair in frustration. He couldn't find the right words.

"Well, the way you are coping with your problems is going to kill you. It's unhealthy." Hades realized that he went too far, but he couldn't stop himself.

"I know!" Nico screamed, sinking his nails into his hands, drawing blood. "I can't explain it- I just don't know- I don't know why I'm like or or or why I feel the way the way I do, but I do! And there's nothing I can do- nothing I can do to stop it." Hades rushed to Nico's side and grabbed his hands to stop him from causing more damage to himself. Nico tried to pull away but the god didn't move. Nico froze and his father didn't pull away.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. I'm not mad at you. I'm just scared. You scared me and I'm worried about you, so I did the only thing I know how to. I'm sorry." Hades apologized profusely.

"It's okay." Nico whispered, more shocked that his father had apologized. "It's okay." The father and son stayed in this position for another ten minutes before Hades spoke again.

"I can protect you, Nico." Hades assured him. "If you live with me, I can keep an eye on you and make sure that you are safe. If you move in with me, I can prevent you from hurting yourself. I can help you to heal."

Nico reconsidered his father's proposition. Before the attack, he was unsure of wanting to leave. Now, with even more heartbreak associated with this place, he knew he was ready. Ready to open a new chapter of his life. Ready to leave the terrible memories behind. "This place, this camp is so toxic for me now. Moving in with you would probably be the best course of action. And I do want to. Just as I did before the... incident."

Hades' face remained emotionless as he responded. "We can arrange that. I can have servants up here-"

Nico interrupted. "But, you have to wait. I need time for my body to heal right now. I need to tie up loose ends and discuss this over with my friends and family. And then I'm going to move in with you." Nico had had a lot of time to think about it, and he decided that it was finally time. He needed to leave Camp.

"I respect your decision. You will contact me when you are ready to join me?" Hades asked.

"Yes." Nico declared. "The moment I'm ready, I'll let you know." Hades nodded and the two fell into an uneasy silence. "Aren't you supposed to be working?" Nico asked.

"I am a god; I'm in multiple places at once. A part of me is relaxing at my palace. Another part is playing judge in a criminal's hearing. And I am also here with you."

"And aren't gods not really supposed to interfere with their kid's lives?" Nico questioned.

"Because you have such an amazing moral compass, son, to be lecturing me." Hades rolled his eyes. "Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Well if I'm going to be living with you, then I need all the me time I can get." Nico teased.

"Say no more. I get the hint. I'll get out of here." Hades started to depart for the door, but he leaned in close to Nico. "And good luck in dealing with the storm."

"What storm?" Hades merely raised his eyebrows as he didn't answer Nico's question. He left the infirmary. A clearing of a throat caused Nico to turn rapidly. Will was on his elbows, staring at him. "Oh. That one." Nico muttered to himself. Looking at Will, he said. "How much of that encounter did you hear?"

"Pretty much all of it. Your father's yelling is what woke me up, but I didn't want to intrude on a family conversation." Will explained as he sat up, considering Nico.

"What do you think?"

Will sighed. "Does it matter? It seems that your mind is made up. You don't want to stay."

"Why does it matter that I'm leaving? You have to go back to Florida to be with your mother and finish out your sophomore year. You won't even be here to stay with me. I'll be alone." Nico reasoned.

"No, you won't. You have a family here Nico. It's better for you to remain at Camp, where it's safe-"

"So safe that I get beat up by a fellow 'family member'?"

"Nico-"

"I don't understand Will. You were fine with me leaving before..."

"Before you got beat up, Nico!" Will yelled. "You almost died. And I was never okay with you leaving. I realized that my opinion didn't matter to you leaving or not-"

"Your opinion matters very much to me Will."

"Not in this circumstance. You didn't care about what I had to say or why I wanted you to stay."

"Which brings me back to my first point. You are going back to Florida-"

"No, I'm not! While you were in a coma-" Will's voice cracked. It was still painful for him too. "While you were in a coma, I talked to my mom. We had a long conversation. She decided that it was time. She has wanted to leave Florida for a while, with all the bad memories associated with that place. The drinking-" Will turned, gathering himself. "She agreed with me. She's moving to New York. She already set me up at one of the local high schools. I'm moving to New York." He turned to look at Nico. "I'm going to live here, in the city, and at Camp Half-Blood."

The comment left Nico speechless. "You're... you're moving? To New York?"

"Yeah, yeah, I am." Will slid forwards, grabbing Nico's hands over the space between the two beds. "I wanted to be closer to you."

"I didn't ask you to do that." Nico pulled his hands away.

"You didn't have to. After you got hurt, I decided I wanted to be at Camp full-time. This was the best way to do it."

"But, I'm leaving." Nico said. "You're moving, but I'm leaving, Will. Nothing is going to change that."

"But Nico-"

"No, Will." Nico said with finality. "I said I was leaving and I am. This place isn't safe for me anymore. This place isn't my home right now. It's not about you, or where you are. I need to be alone for a while. I need to find out who I am. Without you. I've already made my decision."

Tears came to Will's eyes. "I thought- I thought things had changed. I thought we fixed everything."

"Things have changed. Aaron assaulting me has proven my point even further. It strengthened my decision. I'm leaving. I'm sorry."

"Nico-" Will tried again.

"No. Don't make this harder than it needs to be. I'm leaving. When I heal, I'm going to say goodbye to everyone."

"They will try and stop you."

Nico smiled at Will sadly. "They won't be able to."

"Would I be able to say anything, or do anything to make you stay?" Will said quietly.

"I don't think so." Nico responded. "This camp is not safe for me anymore."

"But the threat is gone-"

"There will always be another threat, Will." Nico reasoned. "I'm always going to have another person who doesn't like me or agree with my lifestyle. I'm not even going to pretend that that is not true."

"But-"

"There are no more but's, Will. I made my decision a long time ago, and it is finally time to go through with it."

* * *

Jason's POV:

"This isn't going as planned." Reyna groaned.

"I know." Jason said.

"We were supposed to leave today. We can't stay away from Camp Jupiter much longer. They all have been without both of their praetors for three weeks." Reyna was pacing around Hazel's cabin. Hazel and Frank were quietly talking on her bed. There were bags under her eyes, indicating that she didn't sleep the previous night either. Reyna had pulled Jason into the cabin to discuss what they were going to do as Nico was still missing. They had interrupted Hazel packing, but she wasn't going anywhere yet.

"And Piper and I have already missed a lot of school back in LA." Jason pointed out.

"We should do something." Reyna stopped, locking eyes with Jason. "We should go find him."

"How?" Hazel asked, stopping her conversation with Frank. "We have no idea where he went. Even Will doesn't know and he is probably the closest to him."

"I don't know." Reyna sighed. "I just don't like feeling so helpless."

Jason stood. He crossed over the room and put his hand on Reyna's shoulder. "We just have to hold out heads up high and hope that Nico will pull through. Besides, Hades is looking for him. With a god on our side, he is bound to turn up."

"You're right; I'm sorry I panicked." Reyna apologized.

"You don't have to be sorry. Everyone has their freak-out sessions." Jason reassured. "And you are so collected that it was bound to happen eventually."

Reyna took a deep breath and resumed her normal regal aura. Jason was usually able to calm her down. That's why they had worked so well as praetors. They balanced each other out. When one was panicking, the other was calm. Jason missed that unity, but was happy with what he had now as well. He had loved Reyna, but his heart belonged to Piper. "So now we wait."

"Now we wait." Jason repeated. He laid back on Nico's bed, sinking into the comforter. He glanced around, seeing what belongings Nico had left. His sword was propped against the nightstand. The sight of it sent a twinge of fear through Jason. If Nico didn't have any way to defend himself... he couldn't get into that kind of thinking. Nico was smart and resourceful; he could take care of himself.

On the nightstand, there was a sheathed knife, an alarm clock, a lamp, and a framed picture of him and Will. Jason felt a grin unfold on his face. He was happy for Nico, but he wished Nico was happy as well. There was sketchbook and notebook on the edge of Nico's bed, but Jason didn't dare touch these. He knew they were Nico's private property and he wouldn't live to see another day if he opened them. Other then everything on the nightstand and the two notebooks, Nico didn't seem to possess very many belongings. He always wore his aviator jacket. Nico had probably grown accustom to moving around so much that he didn't take much with him every time.

The door swung open suddenly, interrupting Jason's thoughts. He sat up quickly, causing himself to become dizzy. As he blinked the black spots from his eyes, he saw who had come in.

"Nico!" Reyna exclaimed. Nico looked like a deer in headlights. He had his jacket on and was holding his arms up defensively.

"Not to sound rude, but why are you all in my cabin?" Nico bluntly asked.

"Why are we in your cabin?" Reyna repeated. "Maybe because you disappeared yesterday, without a second thought, and we knew how upset you were."

Nico shrugged. "I'm fine-"

"Don't lie." Reyna said. Jason saw glanced at Nico's wrist. He saw the edge of a bandage peeking out, but he said nothing, not wanting to overwhelm Nico.

"I thought you were heading back to Camp Jupiter." He muttered.

"We wanted to make sure you were okay first." Hazel interjected.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but you didn't have to do that." Nico was still standing in the doorway.

"Of course we did." Jason explained. "We care about you."

"Thanks, but I'm fine."

Reyna noticed his hesitancy to come in. "Are you going to stand there all day?"

Nico turned red, as he walked into the cabin and closed the door. His movements were stiff, an indication of his arm injuries. But no one said anything about it.

"Where did you go?" Hazel asked gently.

Nico paused. "I don't know."

"Don't know, or don't want to talk about it?" Reyna asked.

"What does it matter? I'm here now." Nico defended.

"It matters because we want to make sure you are okay before we leave. We don't want to abandon you if you need us." Hazel spoke up.

Nico leaned against the dresser. "I don't. I'm okay-"

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Hazel asked. Jason saw that they had pushed him too far. But, he couldn't do anything to stop the explosion.

"I actually really don't want to talk about what happened." Nico snapped. "I want to try to forget that it ever did happen, but that seems to be impossible to do. So I'm trying not to think about it. And you aren't making that any easier. Now, please get out. I want to be alone."

Hazel and Frank both looked affronted, but neither moved. Nico turned his sights on them. "I said leave." Jason looked to Reyna and saw that his thoughts were mirrored in her. They weren't going anywhere.

"We can't leave you like this." Jason said.

"Well you are going to have to." Nico snapped. "You have your obligations, and I have my own."

"Like what?" Reyna asked.

"I'm leaving Camp Half-Blood." Jason couldn't say that he was that shocked that Nico was leaving.

"What?" Hazel demanded. "You can't leave."

"Who is to say I can't?"

"I am." The Roman defended. "You aren't safe on your own-"

"Cause I was so safe here at camp, with Aaron-" his voice cracked. He took a composing breath. "I've made my decision. You can either support it or hate me for it, but there is no way I'm staying here. Once I heal up in a couple of days, then I'm gone."

"Where are you going?" Hazel asked.

"To the Underworld. To our father."

"Does Will know?" Jason muttered. Nico flinched at the question.

"Yes. He knows. He's not happy with it, but he knows."

"When are you leaving?" Frank questioned.

"The 17th at the latest. I'm saying goodbye to you all today." Nico explained. "Since you guys are heading back to Camp Jupiter and Percy and Annabeth are going back to the city."

"Is there anything we can say to convince you to stay?" Hazel asked.

Nico opened his mouth to speak, but Reyna beat him to it. "No. He's made up his mind and we need to respect that." Nico nodded his thanks to Reyna.

"But-"

"Hazel." Nico stopped her words. "It's over. I'm leaving. And you are too. I'll- I'll make sure to stop by before you leave. Now, please, leave my cabin."


	43. Chapter 43: Farewells

_Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot._

 _This story discusses themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression. Trigger warning. Do not read if any of these things upset you. Trigger warning!_

 _Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nico's POV:

The time that the Romans had spent at Camp Half-Blood was coming to a close. As was Nico's time. He was saying goodbye to everyone today. Reyna, Hazel, and Frank were shadow-traveling to Camp Jupiter. Jason and Piper were joining them. Percy and Annabeth were flying on pegasi back into the City to begin their second term of senior year. Will would be going to their school in the next week or so to start his second term of junior year. He would eventually fly back to Florida to help his mother move up to the city, but he was already enrolled in the school. Leo and Calypso were staying at Camp, for now, but claimed to be heading on another adventure in the next day or two. The Camp had already started to clear out anyway, as campers went back home to go to school. After everyone had gone, Nico would start packing up all of his stuff. There was nothing left for him here.

He emerged from his cabin, blinking in the sunlight. His arms felt heavy as he had not eaten any more ambrosia to heal them. He hadn't eaten anything all day. He didn't want to feel anything, so he chose to be in a state of lassitude. He wanted to feel numb. He wanted to forget. He didn't want any emotions clouding his judgment. He had already started to repress his memories about what had happened. Hopefully, his father would be able to help him start to master his nightmares so he would be able to sleep for once in his life without being disturbed. He walked across the camp and over to Half-Blood Hill. Everyone had started to say their goodbyes. He had eight sets of eyes on him as he walked over.

"We missed you at lunch today, Nico." Percy mentioned. Nico looked up at him as he spoke. He had a sympathetic smile on his face. Had Jason told him? He decided to avoid the question.

"Where's Annabeth?" Her intelligent aura was noticeably absent.

"She had a family emergency in Boston. She didn't give many details."

"I thought you guys had to catch up on school?" Nico asked.

Percy shrugged. "She's way smarter than me. She will be able to catch up with no problem. Me on the other hand... well I offered to go with her, but she vehemently refused. Whether that be her concern about my education or the fact that it was a family matter, I don't really know-" he trailed off. "So, what are you going to be doing?"

"Just working for my father a lot." He didn't want to give them much, but no one seemed to want to pursue any argument with him. Nico sighed, realizing he would have to be the one to initiate conversation. "What about you two?" He asked, indicating to Jason and Piper.

"Starting up school again." Piper answered. "Can't wait to see my father again. And Coach Hedge and Mellie and their kid."

"How is Coach Hedge?" Nico asked. He was fond of the old goat. He had faced life and death situations with him after all.

"He's good, last time we checked." Jason spoke up.

"Good." The awkwardness was palpable in the air. They were all silent for a few moments. Their

silence was interrupted by neighing. Butch appeared over the crest of the hill, bringing up Blackjack. The pegasus neighed loudly at the sight of Percy. Percy grinned and moved up to meet him.

"There's a good boy." He stopped to listen. "No, I don't have any sugar cubes." He stopped again.

"I only have one bag and I promise it's not that heavy." He smiled sadly. "No, buddy, I'm sorry, it's just me. Annabeth had to go on her own." He laughed. "No, we didn't break up. She just had some family stuff to deal with."

He patted Blackjack's neck before turning back around. "Well, this is my ride." He looked towards Frank. Frank gave him a bear hug. Percy grimaced, but laughed through the pain. "Keep those Romans in line, praetor."

Frank let him go. "Will do." Percy then turned to Hazel.

"Find some gold, and let me know when we can start our gold-buying and selling business." Percy joked, wrapping her in a hug.

"Take care, Percy." She said.

He let go and nodded towards Leo. "Leo."

Leo did a two fingered salute back to him. Percy smiled at him and then at Calypso, but the two didn't say anything. Nico sensed that some tension was still there.

"Don't attach yourself to Jason too much while I'm not here." Percy warned Piper. "He's still mine."

"You keep telling yourself that." Piper teased, hugging him. When they parted, Jason stepped forward and the two boys exchanged a hand shake and a hug.

"We will keep in touch." Jason muttered into Percy's shoulder.

"You know it. Still meeting in San Diego for Spring Break right?" Percy asked.

Jason laughed. "You know it." He repeated Percy's words. "Bye bro."

"See ya, boo thang." Piper rolled her eyes at the boys' antics.

Percy merely shook hands with Reyna. "Good luck."

"Good luck with school."

Finally, Percy turned to Nico. Nico had his arms crossed over his chest. Percy looked like he wanted to step forward for a hug or even a handshake, but he held himself back. "Don't hesitate to call or Iris-message or anything if you need me." He lowered his voice. "If it's about Tartarus or anything... you really helped me that night, and I'm always willing to return the favor."

"Don't think anything of it. See you around, Jackson." Nico bid his farewell. Percy smiled and turned. He pulled a heavy winter coat on, to protect himself from the elements outside Camp Half-Blood's boundaries. He grabbed his duffle and climbed onto Blackjack. He dug his heels into the pegasus' sides and he started galloping. The two took off into the air. The group watched until they were merely a dark spot on the horizon.

Reyna sighed. "I guess that is our cue to leave as well." Hazel and Calypso embraced while Frank and Leo shook hands. Hazel then hugged Leo while Frank awkwardly nodded at Calypso. Piper came over to Nico.

"Hey, good luck with working with your father."

"Thank you."

She hesitated before speaking up again. "I'm always here to lend an ear for anything. I really enjoyed spending time with you this winter."

"Me too." Nico uncrossed his arms and gave her a quick side hug. She smiled at him and went to go say goodbye to Leo. Jason, who had just finished saying goodbye to his best friend, with promises of meeting in San Diego, stood in front of Nico.

"Please take care of yourself." He implored Nico. Nico silently laughed.

"We'll see."

Jason hugged him. Nico tried to flinch, but Jason's grip was too tight. "You are one of my closest friends; I don't want to lose you."

"I'll do my best." Nico promised.

Jason released him. "I want to hear from you at least once every two weeks."

"Okay, mom." Nico teased. "I'll think about sending you a text every so often."

"I'll miss you, di Angelo."

"Miss you too, Grace." Jason waved a farewell to go stand with Piper, who had just finished exchanging a few words with Calypso.

Frank approached Nico next. He held out his hand. Nico braced himself as he took the outstretched hand. "It was great to see you again, Nico."

"Be good to my sister, Zhang, and we won't have to see each other soon." Frank looked terrified.

"Oh, he's joking." Hazel reassured. "He's just trying to mess with you." She looked more fully at Nico. "And I hope we will see each other soon."

"I guess I'll stop by Camp Jupiter." Nico mentioned. "I'm sure father with have 'Pluto ambassador' stuff he needs me to do."

Hazel put her hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure you want to leave?"

Nico shrugged her off. "Yes, I am sure. It's what I need to do." Hazel looked into his eyes, making sure that he was sure. Then, she pulled him into a hug.

"Be careful. Please. I love you and want you to be safe." Nico retuned her hug as she spoke.

"I will be. I'll try my hardest to stay out of trouble." She released him, and went to join Frank.

Finally, Reyna approached him.

"Nico."

"Reyna."

"I thought you had found a home." She stated.

"I did, but now everyone is leaving. There's no reason for me to stay."

Reyna nodded at his words. "I respect that. I wish you the best of luck, and you will come to visit, otherwise I will hunt you down and drag you, screaming, to Camp Jupiter."

"Yes ma'am." Nico said.

"And if you ever need help, or want to- hurt yourself, or anything, don't hesitate to call." Reyna said.

Nico fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes, I know."

"Goodbye, Nico." She hugged him.

"See you around Reyna." He returned the hug. She released him and went to join the group heading to California. They all grabbed hands and their bags and disappeared into the shadows. Nico, Leo, and Calypso were left standing on the ridge.

"So, what's the plan for the rest of the day?" Leo asked Nico. His hand came down to rest on Nico's shoulder. Nico stepped forward, out of Leo's grasp.

"I'm going back to my cabin."

* * *

A knock on the door woke Nico. He opened his eyes, and glared angrily at the door.

"Go away." He grumbled, turning over. The knock came again. Nico covered his face with a pillow. The knocking didn't stop. He let out a frustrated groan and pulled himself from his sleep state. He walked to the door. He opened it to find Will Solace, framed by the fading sunlight, with a picnic basket.

"Hello. You are having dinner with me."

Nico stared at Will. "I'm leaving in a couple of days."

Will furrowed his eyebrows. "Yes, and?" Nico didn't answer. "Look, just because you are leaving doesn't mean we have to end on bad terms. We are still going to be together, even when you are gone, correct?"

Nico nodded.

"So, why not take advantage of the time we still have left? Until you leave?"

Nico was wary. He didn't want Will to convince him to stay again. "I don't know." Will noticed his hesitation.

"Nico. I- I understand where you stand and I'm not going to try to make you stay. I just want to spend as much time as possible with you."

Nico sighed. "Okay, let me just get ready."

Will smiled. It was dazzling. He closed the door. He went to his dresser and pulled out a black shirt. He pulled off his current skull shirt and replaced it. His black jeans were fine. He laced up a pair of black converse. He pulled on his aviator jacket and opened the door. Will was leaning against one of the pillars on the outside of the cabin. He was lost in thought. His face was weary. Nico hadn't noticed how exhausted Will had been, but he could see it now. Now that Will wasn't hiding it. The bags under his eyes were obvious and dark. His whole aura was dimmed, hiding his usually bright persona. Nico closes the door which shook Will out of his reverie. His face brightened, but Nico could still see the dark thoughts brewing. Will was under a lot of pressure. More than Nico realized.

"Ready?" Will asked, holding his arm out. Nico reached out his hand. Half of finding happiness was accepting it. He allowed himself to be escorted by Will. They crossed through the cabins, around the canoe lake, passed the climbing wall and to the beach. There was already a blanket laid on the sand. A fire burned in a pit near the blanket.

"What is this?" Nico asked.

Will shrugged. "I wanted to have a beach picnic with you."

"It's the middle of January."

"There's a fire. We're fine." Will reasoned.

Nico decided to just go with it. He sat down on the blanket, pulling his legs towards his chest. Will sat down beside him and opened the picnic basket. Nico peered inside.

"Shut the fuck up." Nico exclaimed as he pulled out a bag with a golden arch on it. "You got me McDonalds?"

Will laughed. "Well, I know it's your favorite meal." But Nico wasn't listening. He opened the bag and pulled out a Big Mac box. He flipped open the lid and the greasy goodness that was McDonalds filled his senses.

"I think I'm in love with you." Nico murmured under his breath.

"I love you too." Will replied. Nico didn't notice the son of Apollo gazing at him softly. He was too focused on his meal. He took a bite of the Big Mac.

"Oh my gods it's so good-" he groaned with a full mouth. Will merely laughed again as he pulled out his own meal: a healthy chicken salad. Nico scoffed as he saw it. "-if you're going to order from McDonalds-" he swallowed his food down. "At least order something unhealthy."

"I like having clear arteries." Will joked. Nico looked at him seriously. "I'm kidding. I love eating burgers, but I was in the mood for a salad tonight."

"Well get your leafy-green nonsense away from my Big Mac." Nico took another bite. And another. There was something that was so satisfying about eating a huge burger. After eating the burger, he immediately attacked the large fries, taking sips of his soda in between.

He finished in minutes, sighing contently. He hadn't eaten very much in a while and his stomach was full. He felt satisfied. He laid back on the blanket, looking at the sky. The color was slowly bleeding out, but traces of orange and pink were still sprawled across the sky. It was beautiful. It was starting to get cold as the sun disappeared, but the fire got warmer as well. He turned on his side to look at Will. He was slowly eating his salad, deep in thought.

"What's up?" Will blinked and looked at Nico.

"Just thinking."

"About?" Nico asked, balancing himself on his elbows.

"Everything. I don't know. I have this bad feeling in my stomach. Something is coming."

Nico knew exactly what Will meant. He was feeling the same thing. "Yeah, I sense that too. But what? And when?"

"I don't know." Will admitted. "I'm sorry, let's not worry about that right now. We are supposed to be enjoying ourselves."

"I did thoroughly enjoy my dinner." Nico reminded. "But you haven't finished yours."

"I was hoping to move onto dessert." Will flirted, looking at Nico suggestively.

Nico smiled, but ducked his head. He didn't know how comfortable he was with contact with Will yet. Will put his hand on Nico's shoulder. "Hey." Nico looked up into Will's eyes. "It's okay. You don't need to feel rushed about anything. Whatever you feel comfortable with."

Nico considered this and decided to go out on a limb. He sat up and carefully put his hand on Will's face. He leaned forward to connect their lips. The pressure that he had been feeling was lifted as Will returned his kiss. Will sighed deeply. Nico broke off the kiss and Will poured. Nico grinned as he leaned back in, deepening the kiss. Will slowly leaned backwards, bringing Nico with him until they both were horizontal, Nico propped on his arms above Will.

"Gods, I've missed this." Will groaned when they broke off for air. Nico didn't say anything. He just lowered himself down again to recapture Will's lips. Will broke the kiss off again. "It's getting late; what about cleaning harpies? What if we get caught?"

"Will, do me a favor?" Nico asked. Will nodded, attentively listening. "Shut up, and kiss me."

Will reconnected their lips. Nico groaned in desire as Will slowly turned him over onto his back. Will took control as his tongue danced with Nico's.

The two boys enjoyed the next hour, making out, before both of them drifted off into sleep. Little did they know that a mortal named Lester Papadopoulos would soon arrive to disrupt that peace.


	44. Third Story

Hey guys! So this is the end of Healing the Dark, Part Two. I am writing a sequel, called Searching for the Light. Thank you all for your continued support! I wouldn't have been able to do any of this without you guys. Thank you for everything!

-musicaldoctor1819


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